u-s 


LIBRA.R  Y 


Theological   Seminary, 


BX  9178  .B668  C7  1841 
Boston,  Thomas,  1677-1732. 
The  crook  in  the  lot 


Book,  N®. 


/ 


THE 


CROOK  IN  THE  LOT ; 


OR, 


A  DISPLAY  OF  THE 


SOVEREIGNTY  AND  WISDOM  OF  GOD 


IN  THE  AFFLICTIONS  OF  MEN, 


AND   THE 


CHRISTIAN'S  DEPORTMENT  UNDER  THEM. 


BY  REV.  THOMAS  BOSTON 


^ 


NEW  YORK : 
ROBERT  CARTER,  58  CANAL  STREET. 

1841. 


\ 


RECOMMENDATION. 

I  AM  gratified  to  learn  that  you  are  about  to 
publish  Boston's  "  Crook  in  the  Lot."  Few 
books  contain  so  much  valuable  matter  within  the 
same  space.  It  may  be  considered  an  exposition 
of  God's  providence  towards  his  people,  while 
performing  their  pilgrimage  through  this  vale  of 
tears  ;  and  was  evidently  the  fruit  of  much  ob- 
servation of  the  dispensations  of  God,  and  of  pro- 
found acquaintance  with  the  Holy  Scriptures.  I 
do  not  know  that  I  could  point  out  a  work  so  well 
adapted  to  reconcile  the  afflicted  saint  to  his  lot 
in  this  world,  and  at  the  same  time  to  teach  him 
how  to  derive  benefit  from  those  events  which  are 
most  adverse  to  his  natural  inclinations.  I  can, 
therefore,  cordially  recommend  this  little  volume 
to  all  who  desire  wisely  to  interpret,  and  faithfully 
to  improve,  the  dealings  of  Providence  towards 
them  ;  especially  in  the  "  dark  and  cloudy  day"  of 
adversity. 

A.  Alexander. 


PREFACE. 


Thomas  Boston,  tlie  author  of  The  Crook  in  the  Lot, 
was  born  in  the  town  of  Dunse,  Scotland,  A.  D.  1676,  of 
fL'spcctable  and  reli«jious  pareiitajre,  and  was  tlie  younj^cst 
cf  seven  children.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  the  Gospel 
in  1697,  and  was  ordained  at  Simprin  in  1699.  In  the  year 
1700  he  married  Catherine  Brown,  a  lady  of  f^ood  family 
and  rare  cndon'mentM  of  mind  ;  by  her  he  had  a  nnnibtr  of 
children,  four  of  whom  survived  him.  He  departed  this 
life  in  tlie  hope  of  a  glorious  immortality,  A.  D.  1732,  in 
the  56th  year  of  his  age. 

In  person,  Mr.  Boston  was  above  the  middle  stature,  and 
of  a  grave  and  amiable  aspect.  His  mind  was  vigorous 
and  fruitful ;  his  imagination  lively  but  under  due  restraint ; 
his  judgment  solid;  his  aflcctions  warm  and  tender;  and 
his  whole  demeanour  courteous,  obliging,  and  benevolent. 
Under  provocation  he  was  gentle,  and  always  manifested  a 
delicate  regard  for  the  feelings  of  others  ;  but  when  a  just 
occasion  of  rebuke  occurred  he  W'as  always  prompt  in  ad- 
ministering it. 

Having  become  in  early  life  a  subjert  of  divine  grace,  he 
honoured  his  profession  by  a  deportment  at  once  consistent 
and  uniform.  He  was  pre-eminently  a  man  of  prayer,  cul- 
tivating a  close  communion  with  God,  and  receiving  many 
encouraging  evidences  of  his  personal  acceptance.  The 
divine  providence  was  carefully  observed  and  recorded  by 
him  in  all  its  operations,  and  the  law  of  God  was  regarded 
in  all  its  claims  with  the  most  scrupulous  exactness.  Ten- 
der in  conscience,  watchful  in  spirit,  and  rich  in  Christian 


VI  PREFACE. 

experience,  his  effort  was  to  avoid  even  the  appearance  of 
evil,  and  to  be  fruitful  in  every  good  work. 

In  regard  to  others,  he  was  affectionate  as  a  husband, 
indulo-ent  as  a  father,  and  sincere  and  faithful  as  a  friend. 
Not  only  did  he  extend  his  counsel  and  sympathy  to  the 
distressed,  but  one  tenth  of  his  annual  income  was  reli- 
giously devoted  to  the  relief  of  the  poor. 

As  a  scholar,  Mr.  Boston  was  well  versed  in  the  Latin, 
Greek,  Hebrew,  and  French  languages,  and  in  other  depart- 
ments of  learning,  was  no  novice.  As  a  Theologian,  his 
various  works  afford  the  best  evidence  of  his  great  acquire- 
ments, of  his  sound  and  judicious  views,  and  of  his  skill  in 
defending  the  truth.  In  his  application  to  study  he  was  in- 
defatigable, and  it  was  with  him  a  rule,  to  leave  no  subject 
he  was  investigating,  until  he  bad  mastered  ks  difficulties. 
Yet  withal  he  was  so  unostentatious,  that  nothing  in  his 
manner  betrayed  the  conceit  of  learning.  He  was  a  liberal 
admirer  of  the  gifts  of  others,  and  was  unwilling  to  detract 
from  their  merits,  although  they  might  differ  with  him  iu 
opinion. 

As  a  minister  of  Jesus  Christ  he  was  particularly  conspi- 
cuous. He  was  "mighty  in  the  Scriptures,"  not  only  in 
his  critical  acquaintance  with  them,  but  in  his  understand- 
ing of  their  spirit  and  power ;  by  which  he  was  well  quali- 
fied to  expound  in  a  clear,  simple,  and  cogent  manner  the 
gi-eat  mysteries  of  the  Gospel  to  others.  His  thoughts 
were  generally  just  and  often  profound  ;  his  mode  of  ex- 
pression simple  and  yet  forcible ;  his  imagination  fertile  in 
happily  adapted  illustrations;  his  delivery  graceful  and 
earnest;  and  in  his  whole  manner  in  the  pulpit,  gravity, 
meekness,  and  authority  were  happily  blended.  His  minis- 
trations were  not  only  acceptable,  but  successful  in  the 
conversion  of  sinners,  and  in  the  edification  of  saints.  Mr. 
Boston,  although  a  devoted  student,  never  suffered  his  de- 
lightful pursuit  of  knowledge  to  interfere  with  his  pastoral 
visitations.  In  preparing  for  the  pulpit,  he  generally  wrote 
out  his  sermons  in  full ; — an  example  worthy  of  imitation 
by  more  modem  preachers.     It  is  u  remarkable  fact  that, 


PREFACE.  Vll 

althous]fh  Mr.  Boston  was  so  cniiiuiilly  endowed  by  grace 
and  mental  culture  for  llie  work  of  the  ministry,  yet  he 
was  tempted  to  abandon  it  after  he  liad  entered  on  it,  from 
a  deep  and  humbling  senee  of  his  unfitness  for  the  work. 
This  was  indeed  a  rare  humilit}'. 

In  rcclesiastical  judicatories  Mr.  Boston  displayed  great 
wisdom  and  prudence,  and  was  well  qualified  to  give  coun- 
sel in  difficult  and  intricate  cases.  His  talent  was  so  ad- 
mirable in  framing  minutes,  that  he  was  pnmounced  by  a 
statesman  of  considerable  note,  the  best  clerk  he  had  ever 
known  in  any  court,  civil  or  ecclesiastical. 

In  relation  to  the  general  concerns  of  the  church,  zeal 
and  knowledge  were  happily  combined  in  him  ;  and  in  se- 
curing its  best  interests,  few  were  so  zealous  for  its  purity, 
or  studious  of  its  peace.  He  was  no  friend  to  innovations, 
and  always  subjected  novel  suggestions  to  the  most  careful 
scrutiny.  His  opinion  on  the  subject  of  controversy  was, 
that  error  was  best  confuted  by  a  strong  representation  of 
the  truth  ;  and  in  his  defence  of  the  Protestant  doctrine 
against  the  aspersions  of  a  certain  book,  he  fully  vindicated 
the  truth,  answered  objections,  but  still  avoided  all  otiensive 
personal  allusions.  In  some  notices  of  his  life  written  for 
the  use  of  his  children,  he  remarks  : 

"Thus  also  I  was  much  addicted  to  peace,  and  averse 
from  controversy  ;  though  once  engaged  therein,  I  was  set 
to  go  through  with  it.  1  had  no  great  difficulty  to  retain  a 
due  honour  and  charity  for  my  brethren,  ditiering  from  me 
both  in  opinion  and  practice.  But  then  I  was  in  no  great 
hazard,  neither  of  being  swayed  by  them  to  depart  from 
what  I  judged  truth  or  duty.  Withal,  it  was  easy  to  me 
to  yield  to  them  in  things  wherein  I  found  not  myself  iu 
conscience  bound  up.  Whatever  precipitant  steps  I  have 
made  in  the  course  of  my  life,  which  I  desire  to  be  hum- 
bled for,  rashness  in  conduct  was  not  my  weak  side.  But, 
since  the  Lord,  by  his  grace,  brought  me  to  consider  things, 
it  was  much  my  exercise  to  discern  sin  and  duty  in  parti- 
cular cases ;  being  afraid  to  venture  on  things,  until  I 
should  see  myself  called  thereto.     But  when  the   matter 


Vlll  PREFACE. 

was  cleared  to  me,  I  generally  stuck  fast  by  it,  being  as 
much  afraid  to  desert  the  way  which  I  took  to  be  pointed 
out  to  me." 

The  same  paper  he  thus  concludes  : 

"  And  thus  I  have  given  some  account  of  the  days  of 
my  vanity.  Upon  the  whole,  I  bless  my  God  in  Jesus 
Christ,  that  ever  he  made  me  a  Christian,  and  took  an 
early  dealing  with  my  soul :  that  ever  he  made  me  a  mi. 
nister  of  the  gospel,  and  gave  me  some  insight  into  the 
doctrine  of  his  grace  :  and  that  ever  he  gave  me  the  blessed 
Bible,  and  brought  me  acquainted  with  the  originals,  and 
especially  with  the  Hebrew  text.  The  world  hath  all  along 
been  a  step-darae  unto  me,  and  whensoever  I  would  have 
attempted  to  nestle  in  it,  there  was  a  thorn  of  uneasiness 
laid  for  me.  Man  is  born  crying,  lives  complaining,  and 
dies  disappointed  from  that  quarter.  '  Ail  is  vanity  and 
vexation  of  spirit ;  I  have  waited  for  thy  sal-,  aiion,  O 
Lord.'  ''■ 

It  may  be  interesting  for  the  reader  to  know  that  the 
truly  valuable  treatise  with  which  he  is  here  presented,  un. 
der  a  quaint  title,  was  one  of  the  last  of  the  author's 
writings,  and  therefore  embodies  much  of  the  maturity  ol 
his  experience.  He  was  engaged  in  revising  it  when  he 
was  called  to  cease  from  his  labours.  May  it  prove  a  happy 
legacy  to  every  one  into  whose  hands  it  may  fall. 


CONTENTS. 


Page 
Introductory  Remarks,  -  -  -  -     H 

PROPOSITION  I. 

Whatsoever  Crook  there  i8  in  one's  Lot,  it  is  of  God's 
making  -  -  -  -  -  -     14 

I.  As  to  the  Crook  itself,  -  -  -  14— 2» 

II.  The  Crook  is  of  God's  making.  How  it  is  of  his 
making.     Why  lie  makes  it,  -  -  29 — 56 

PROPOSITION  II. 

What  God  sees  meet  to  mar,  we  shall  not  be  able  to 
mend  in  our  Lot.  What  Crook  God  makes  in  our 
Lot,  we  shall  not  be  able  to  even,     -  -  -     56 

I.  God's  marring  and  making  a  Crook  in  one's  Lot,  as 

he  sees  meet,  -  -  -  .  -     57 

II.  Men's  attempting  to  mend  or  even  the  Crook  in 
thfir  Lot,      -  .  -  -  .  .58 

III.  In  what  sense  it  is  to  be  understood,  that  we  shall 

not  be  able  to  mend,  or  even  the  Crook  in  our  Lot,  -     59 

IV.  Some  reasons  of  the  point,  -  -  -61 
Directions  for  rightly  mana^rini:^  the  application  for  re- 
moving the  Crook  in  our  Lot,            -             -  -     Go 

PROPOSITION  III. 

Considering  the  Crook  in  the  Lot,  as  the  work  of  God, 
is  a  proper  means  to  bruig  one  to  behave  righlly  un- 
der it,  -  -  -  -  -  -     76 

I.  What  it  is  to  consider  the  Crook  as  the  work  of  God,     77 

II.  Hdw  it  is  to  be  ni)derstood  to  be  a  proper  means  to 
bring  one  to  behave  rightly  under  the  Crook,  -    79 

III.  That  it  is  a  proper  means  to  bring  one  to  behave 
rightly  under  it,        .  .  .  .  -     82 


X  CONTENTS. 

Page. 
A  comparison  between  the  Lowly  and  Proud,  -       85 

DocT. — There  is  a  generation  of  lowly,  afflicted  ones, 
having  their  spirit  lowered  and  brought  down  to 
their  lot ;  whose  case,  in  that  respect,  is  better  than 
that  of  the  proud  getting  their  will,  and  carrying 
all  to  their  mind,     -  -  -  .  -88 

I.  The  geueration  of  the  lowly  afflicted  ones,  -       ib. 

II.  The  generation  of  the  proud  getting  their  will, 

and  carrying  all  to  their  mind,         -  .  -       95 

III.  It  is  better  to  be  in  a  low  afflicted  condition,  with 
the  spirit  humble  and  brought  down  to  the  lot,  than 
to  be  of  a  proud  and  high  spirit,  getting  the  lot 
brought  up  to  it,  and  matters  go  according  to  one's 
mind,  -  -  -  -  -  .99 

Humility  the  great  means  to  bring  all  to  theu*  respec- 
tive duties,  ...  -  -     109 

DocT.  I.  The  bent  of  one's  heart,  in  humbling  cir. 
cumstances,  should  be  towards  a  suitable  humbling 
of  the  spirit,  as  under  God's  mighty  hand  placing 
us  in  them,  -  -  -  -  -     113 

II.  What  are  those  humbling  circumstances  the 
mighty  hand  of  God  brings  men  into,         -  -     115 

III.  VVhal  it  is  in  humbling  circumstances,  to  humble 
ourselves  under  the  mighty  hand  of  God,    -  -     118 

Directions  fur  reaching  humiliation,  -  -  -     126 

DocT.  II.  In  due  time,  tliose  that  humble  themselves 
under  the  mighty  hand  of  God  will  certainly  be 
lifted  up,     -  ...»     137 


THE 


CROOK   IN   THE   LOT 


EccLEs.  vii.  13. 


Consider  the  work  of  God :  for  who  can  make  that 
straight  which  he  hath  made  crooked  1 

A  JUST  view  of  afflicting  incidents  is  altogether 
necessary  to  a  Christian  deportment  under  them  ; 
and  that  view  is  to  be  obtained  only  by  faith,  not 
by  sense ;  for  it  is  the  light  of  the  word  alone  that 
represents  them  justly,  discovering  in  them  the 
work  of  God,  and,  consequently,  designs  becoming 
the  divine  perfections.  When  these  are  perceived 
by  the  eye  of  faith,  and  duly  considered,  we  have 
a  just  view  of  afflicting  incidents,  fitted  to  quell  the 
turbulent  motions  of  corrupt  affections  under  dis- 
mal outward  appearances. 

It  is  under  this  view  that  Solomon,  in  the  pre- 
ceding part  of  this  chapter,  advances  several  para- 
doxes, which  are  surprising  determinations  in 
favour  of  certain  things,  that,  to  the  eye  of  sense, 
looking  gloomy  and  hideous,  are  therefore  gener- 
ally reputed  grievous  and  shocking.  He  pronounc- 
elh  the  day  of  one's  death  to  be  better  than  the 


l2  INTRODUCTORY    OBSERVATIONS. 

day  of  his  birth ;  namely,  the  day  of  the  death  of 
one,  who  having  become  the  friend  of  God  through 
faith,  hath  led  a  life  to  the  honour  of  God,  and  ser- 
vice of  his  generation,  and  thereby  raised  himself 
the  good  and  savoury  name  better  than  precious 
ointment,  ver.  1.  In  like  manner,  he  pronounces 
the  house  of  mourning  to  be  preferable  to  the  house 
of  feasting,  sorrow  to  laughter,  and  a  wise  man's 
rebuke  to  a  fooFs  song ;  for  that,  howbeit  the  lat- 
ter are  indeed  the  more  pleasant,  yet  the  former 
are  the  more  profitable,  ver.  2 — 6.  And  observ- 
ing with  concern,  how  men  are  in  hazard,  not  only 
from  the  world's  frowns  and  ill-usage,  oppression 
making  a  wise  man  mad,  but  also  from  its  smiles 
and  caresses,  a  gift  destroying  the  heart ;  there- 
fore, since  whatever  way  it  goes  there  is  danger, 
he  pronounces  the  end  of  every  worldly  thing  bet- 
ter than  the  beginning  thereof,  ver.  7,  8.  And  from 
the  whole,  he  justly  infers,  that  it  is  better  to  be 
humble  and  patient,  than  proud  and  impatient,  un- 
der afflicting  dispensations  ;  since,  in  the  former 
case,  we  wisely  submit  to  what  is  really  best ;  in 
the  latter,  we  fight  against  it,  ver.  8.  And  he  dis- 
suades from  being  angry  with  our  lot,  because  of 
the  adversity  found  therein,  ver.  9 ;  cautions 
against  making  odious  comparisons  of  former  and 
present  times,  in  thai  point  insinuating  undue  re- 
flections on  the  providence  of  God,  ver,  10 :  and, 
against  that  querulous  and  fretful  disposition,  he 
first  prescribes  a  general  remedy,  namely,  holy 
wisdom,  as  that  which  enables  us  to  make  the 
best  of  every  thing,  and  even  giveth  life  in  killing 


BENEFIT    OF    DUE    CONSIDERATION.  13 

circumstances,  ver.  11,  12  ;  and  then  a  particular 
remedy,  consisting  in  a  due  application  of  that 
wisdom,  towards  taking  a  just  view  of  the  case, 
"  Consider  the  work  of  God  :  for  who  can  make 
that  straight  wliich  he  hath  made  crooked  ?" 

In  which  words  are  proposed,  1.  The  remedy 
itself;  2.  The  suitableness  thereof. 

1.  The  remedy  itself,  is  a  wise  eyeing  of  the 
hand  of  God  in  all  we  find  to  bear  hard  upon  us  : 
"  Consider  the  work  (or,  see  thou  the  doing)  of 
God,"  namely,  in  the  crooked,  rough,  and  disa- 
greeable parts  of  thy  lot,  the  crosses  thou  findest 
in  it.  Thou  seest  very  well  the  cross  itself;  yea, 
thou  turnest  it  over  and  over  in  thy  mind,  and  lei- 
surely viewest  it  on  all  sides  :  thou  lookest,  withal, 
to  this  and  the  other  second  cause  of  it,  and  so  thou 
art  in  a  foam  and  fret.  But,  wouldst  thou  be  quiet- 
ed and  satisfied  in  the  matter,  lift  up  thine  eyes  to- 
wards heaven,  see  the  doing  of  God  in  it,  the  oper- 
ation of  his  hand.  Look  at  that,  and  consider  it 
well ;  eye  the  first  cause  of  the  crook  in  thy  lot ; 
behold  how  it  is  the  work  of  God,  his  doing. 

2.  This  view  of  the  crook  in  our  lot  is  very 
suitable  to  still  indecent  risings  of  heart,  and  quiet 
us  under  it :  "  For  who  can  (that  is,  none  can) 
make  that  straight  which  God  hath  made  crook 
ed  ?"  As  to  the  crook  in  thy  lot,  God  hath  mad 
it ;  and  it  must  continue  while  he  will  have  it  so. 
Shouldst  thou  ply  thine  utmost  force  to  even  it,  or 
make  it  straight,  thine  attempt  will  be  vain :  it 
will  not  alter  for  all  thou  canst  do ;  only  he  who 
made  it  can  mend  it,  or  make  it  straight.     This 

2 


14  THE    CROOK    IN    THE    LOT. 

consideration,  this  view  of  the  matter,  is  a  proper 
means,  at  once,  to  silence  and  to  satisfy  men,  and 
so  to  bring  them  unto  a  dutiful  submission  to  their 
Maker  and  Governor,  under  the  crook  in  their  lot. 

Now,  we  take  up  the  purpose  of  the  text  in 
hese  three  propositions. 

Prop.  I.  Whatsoever  crook  there  is  in  one's  lot, 
it  is  of  God's  making. 

Prop.  II.  What  God  sees  meet  to  mq-r,  no  one 
shall  be  able  to  mend  in  his  lot. 

Prop.  III.  The  considering  of  the  crook  in  the 
lot  as  the  work  of  God,  or  of  his  making,  is  a  pro- 
per means  to  bring  us  to  a  Christian  deportment 
under  it. 

Prop.  I.  Whatsoever  crook  there  is  in  one's  lot, 
it  is  of  God's  making. 

Here,  two  things  are  to  be  considered,  namely, 
the  crook  itself,  and  God's  making  of  it. 

I.  As  to  the  crook  itself,  the  crook  in  the  lot, 
for  the  better  understanding  thereof,  these  few 
things  that  follow  are  premised. 

1.  There  is  a  certain  train  or  course  of  events, 
by  the  providence  of  God,  falling  to  every  one  of 
us  during  our  life  in  this  world :  and  that  is  our 
lot,  as  being  allotted  to  us  by  the  sovereign  God, 
our  Creator  and  Governor,  "  in  whose  hand  our 
breath  is,  and  whose  are  all  our  ways."  This  train 
of  events  is  widely  different  to  different  persons, 
according  to  the  will  and  pleasure  of  the  sovereign 
manager,  who  ordereth  men's  conditions  in  the 
world  in  a  great  variety,  some  moving  in  a  higher, 
some  in  a  lower  sphere. 


THE    CROOK    I\    THE    LOT.  15 

2.  In  that  train  or  course  of  events,  some  fall 
out  cross  to  us,  and  against  tlie  grain  ;  and  these 
make  the  crook  in  our  lot.  While  we  are  here, 
there  will  be  cross  events,  as  well  as  agreeable 
ones,  in  our  lot  and  condition.  Sometimes  things 
are  softly  and  agreeably  gliding  on  ;  but,  by  and 
by,  there  is  some  incident  which  alters  that  course, 
grates  us,  and  pains  us,  as  when  we  have  made  a 
wrong  step,  we  begin  to  halt. 

3  Every  body's  lot  in  this  world  hath  some 
crook  in  it.  Complainers  are  apt  to  make  odious 
comparisons  :  they  look  about,  and  taking  a  distant 
view  of  the  condition  of  others,  can  discern  no- 
thing in  it  but  what  is  straight,  and  just  to  one's 
wish ;  so  they  pronounce  their  neighbour's  lot 
wholly  straight.  But  that  is  a  false  verdict ;  there 
is  no  perfection  here  ;  no  lot  out  of  heaven  with- 
out a  crook.  For,  as  to  "  all  the  works  that  are 
"^one  under  the  sun,  behold  all  is  vanity  and  vexa- 
tion of  spirit.  That  which  is  crooked  cannot  be 
made  straight."  Eccl.  i.  14,  15.  Who  would  not 
have  thought  that  Raman's  lot  was  very  straight, 
while  his  family  was  in  a  flourishing  condition, 
and  he  prospering  in  riches  and  honour,  being 
prime  minister  of  state  in  the  Persian  court,  and 
standing  high  in  the  king's  favour?  Yet  there 
was,  at  the  same  time,  a  crook  in  his  lot,  which  so 
galled  him,  that  "  all  this  availed  him  nothing," 
Esth.  V.  13.  Every  one  feels  for  himself,  where 
he  is  pinched,  though  others  perceive  it  not. 
Nobody's  lot,  in  this  world,  is  wholly  crooked ; 
there  are  always  some  straight  and  even  parts  ia 


16  IT    CAME    BY    SIN. 

it.  Indeed,  when  men's  passions,  having  got  up, 
have  cast  a  mist  over  their  minds,  they  are  ready 
to  say,  all  is  wrong  with  them,  nothing  rigiit ;  but, 
though  in  hell  that  tale  is  true,  and  ever  will  be  so, 
yet  it  is  never  true  in  this  world ;  for  there,  indeed, 
there  is  not  a  drop  of  comfort  allowed,  Luke  xvi. 
24,  25,  but  here  it  always  holds  good,  that  "  it  is 
of  the  Lord's  mercies  we  are  not  consumed." 
Lam.  iii.  22. 

4.  The  crook  in  the  lot  came  into  the  world  by 
sin :  it  is  owing  to  the  fall,  Rom.  v.  12.  "  By  one 
man  sin  entered  into  the  world,  and  death  by  sin  ;" 
under  which  death,  the  crook  in  the  lot  is  compre- 
hended, as  a  state  of  comfort  or  prosperity  is,  in 
scripiure  style,  expressed  by  living.  1  Sam.  xxv. 
6.  John  iv.  50,  51.  Sin  so  bowed  the  hearts  and 
minds  of  men,  that  they  became  crooked  in  respect 
of  the  holy  law ;  and  God  justly  so  bowed  their 
lot,  that  it  became  crooked  too.  And  this  crook  ia 
our  lot  inseparably  follows  our  sinful  condition, 
till,  dropping  this  body  of  sin  and  death,  we  get 
within  heaven's  gates. 

These  being  premised,  a  crook  in  the  lot  speaks, 
in  general,  two  things,  (1.)  Adversity,  (2)  Conti- 
nuance. Accordingly  it  makes  a  day  of  adversity, 
opposed  to  the  day  of  prosperity,  in  the  verse  im- 
mediately following  the  text. 

The  crook  in  the  lot  is,  first,  some  one  or  other 
piece  of  adversity.  The  prosperous  part  of  one's 
lot,  which  goes  forward  according  to  one's  wish, 
is  the  straight  and  even  part  of  it ;  the  adverse 
part,  going  a  contrary  way,  is  the  crooked  part 


IT    DENOTES    ADVERSITV.  17 

thereof.  God  liath  iiitcniiixed  these  two  in  men's 
condition  in  this  world  ;  that,  as  there  is  some 
prosperity  therein,  making  the  straicrht  line,  so 
there  is  also  some  adversity,  makincr  the  crooked : 
which  mixture  hath  place,  not  only  in  the  lot  of 
saints,  who  are  told,  that  "  in  the  world  they  shall 
have  tribulation,"  but  even  in  the  lot  of  all,  as 
already  observed.  Secondly,  it  is  adversity  of 
some  continuance.  We  do  not  reckon  it  a  crooked 
thing,  which,  though  forcibly  bended  and  bowed 
together,  yet  presently  recovers  its  former  straight- 
ness.  There  are  twinges  of  the  rod  of  adversity, 
which  passing  like  a  stitch  in  one's  side,  all  is 
immediately  set  to  rights  again  :  one's  lot  may  be 
suddenly  overclouded,  and  the  cloud  vanish  ere  he 
is  aware.  But  under  the  crook,  one  having  leisure 
to  find  his  smart,  is  in  some  concern  to  get  the 
crook  made  even.  So  the  crook  in  the  lot  is  ad- 
versity, continued  for  a  shorter  or  longer  time. 

Now,  there  is  a  threefold  crook  in  the  lot  inci- 
dent to  the  children  of  men. 

1.  One  made  by  a  cross  dispensation,  which, 
howsoever  in  itself  passing,  yet  hath  lasting  ef- 
fects. Such  a  crook  did  Herod's  cruelty  make  in 
the  lot  of  the  mothers  in  Bethlehem,  who  by  the 
murderers  were  left  "  weeping  for  their  slain  chil- 
dren, and  would  not  be  comforted,  because  they 
were  not."  Matth.  ii.  18.  A  slip  of  the  foot  may 
soon  be  made,  which  will  make  a  man  go  halting 
long  after.  "  As  the  fishes  are  taken  in  an  evil 
net ;  so  are  the  sons  of  men  ensnared  in  an  evil 
lime."  Eccl.  ix.  12.     The  thing  may  fall  out  in  a 

2* 


18  SOMETIMES    IS    LONG    CONTINUED. 

moment,  under  which  the  party  shall  go  halting  to 
the  grave. 

2.  There  is  a  crook  made  by  a  train  of  cross 
dispensations,  whether  of  the  same  or  different 
kinds,  following  hard  one  upon  another,  and  leav- 
ing lasting  effects  behind  them.  Thus  in  the  case 
of  Job,  while  one  messenger  of  evil  tidings  was 
yet  speaking,  another  came.  Job  i.  16 — 18.  Cross 
events  coming  one  upon  the  neck  of  another,  deep 
calling  unto  deep,  make  a  sore  crook.  In  that 
case,  the  party  is  like  unto  one,  who,  recovering 
his  sliding  foot  from  one  unfirm  piece  of  ground, 
sets  it  on  another  equally  unfirm,  which  imme- 
diately gives  way  under  him  too  :  or,  like  unto  one, 
who,  travelling  in  an  unknown  mountainous  track, 
after  having,  with  difficulty,  made  his  way  over 
one  mountain,  is  expecting  to  see  the  plain  coun- 
try ;  but,  instead  thereof,  there  comes  in  view, 
time  after  time,  a  new  mountain  to  be  passed.  This 
crook  in  Asaph's  lot  had  like  to  have  made  him 
give  up  all  his  religion,  until  he  went  into  the  sanc- 
tuary, where  this  mystery  of  providence  was  un- 
riddled to  him.  Psal.  Ixxiii.  13 — 17.  Solomon  ob- 
serves, "  That  there  be  just  men,  unto  whom  it 
happeneth  according  to  the  work  of  the  wicked.'^ 
Eccl.  viii.  14.  Providence  taking  a  run  against 
them,  as  if  they  were  to  be  run  down  for  good  and 
all.  Whoever  they  be,  whose  life  in  no  part  there- 
of affords  them  experience  of  this,  sure  Joseph 
missed  not  of  it  in  his  young  days,  nor  Jacob  in 
his  middle  days,  nor  Peter  in  his  old  days,  nor  our 
Saviour  all  his  days. 


WISE  AN'D   RIGHT,  AS   IT  RESPECTS  GOD.         19 

3.  There  is  a  crook  made  by  one  cross  dispensa- 
tion, with  lasting  effects  thereof  coming  in  the  room 
of  another  removed.  Thus  one  crook  straightened, 
there  is  another  made  in  its  place  :  and  so  there  is 
still  a  crook.  Want  of  children  had  lonfj  been  the 
crook  in  Rachel's  lot.  Gen.  xxx.  1.  That  was  at 
length  made  even  to  her  mind ;  but  then  she  got 
another  in  its  stead,  hard  labour  in  travailing  to 
bring  forth.  Chap.  xxxv.  16.  This  world  is  a  wil- 
derness, in  which  we  may  indeed  get  our  station 
changed  ;  but  the  remove  will  be  out  of  one  wil- 
derness station  to  another.  When  one  part  of  the 
lot  is  made  even,  soon  some  other  part  thereof  will 
be  crooked. 

More  particularly,  the  crook  in  the  lot  hath  in  it 
four  things  of  the  nature  of  that  which  is  crooked. 

(1.)  Disagreeableness.  A  crooked  thing  is  way- 
ward ;  and,  being  laid  to  a  rule,  answers  it  not,  but 
declines  from  it.  There  is  not,  in  any  body's  lot, 
any  such  thing  as  a  crook,  in  respect  of  the  will  and 
purposes  of  God.  Take  the  most  harsh  and  dismal 
dispensation  in  one's  lot,  and  lay  it  to  the  eternal 
decree,  made  in  the  depth  of  infinite  wisdom,  before 
the  world  began,  and  it  will  answer  it  exactly,  with- 
out the  least  deviation,  "  all  things  being  wrought 
after  the  counsel  of  his  will."  Eph.  i.  11.  Lay  it 
to  the  providential  will  of  God,  in  the  government 
of  the  world,  and  there  is  a  perfect  harmony. — If 
Paul  is  to  be  bound  at  Jerusalem,  and  "  delivered 
into  the  hands  of  the  Gentiles,"  it  is  "  the  will  of  the 
Lord  it  should  be  so."  Acts  xxi.  11,  14.  Where- 
fore, the  greatest  crook  of  the  lot  on  earth,  is  straight 


20  CROOKED  ONLY  AS  IT  RESPECTS  US. 

in  heaven  :  there  is  no  disa^reeableness  in  it  there. 
But  in  every  person's  lot,  there  is  a  crook  in  re- 
spect of  their  mind  and  natural  inclination.  The 
adverse  dispensation  lies  cross  to  that  rule,  and 
will  by  no  means  answer  it,  nor  harmonize  with  it. 
When  Divine  Providence  lays  one  to  the  other, 
there  is  a  manifest  disaoreeableness  :  the  man's 
^'will  goes  one  way,  and  the  dispensation  another 
way:  the'^irnfends  upwards,  and  cross  events 
press  down  :  so  they  are  contrary.  And  there,  and 
only  there,  lies  the  crook.  It  is  this  disagreeable- 
ness  which  makes  the  crook  in  the  lot  fit  matter  of 
trial  and  exercise  to  us,  in  this  our  state  of  proba- 
tion :  in  which,  if  thou  wouldst  approve  thyself  to 
God,  walking  by  faith,  not  by  sight,  thou  must  quiet 
thyself  in  the  will  and  purpose  of  God,  and  not 
insist  that  it  should  be  according  to  thy  mmd.  Job 
xxxiv.  33. 

(2.)  Unsightliness.  Crooked  things  are  unpleas- 
ant to  the  eye  :  and  no  crook  in  the  lot  seemeth  to 
be  joyous,  but  grievous,  making  an  unsightly  ap- 
pearance. Heb.  xii.  11.  Therefore  men  need  to 
beware  of  giving  way  to  their  thoughts,  to  dwell  on 
the  crook  in  their  lot,  and  of  keeping  it  too  much 
in  view.  David  shows  a  hurtful  experience  of  his, 
in  that  kind,  Psal.  xxxix.  3.  "  While  I  was  musing 
the  fire  burned."  Jacob  acted  a  wiser  part,  called 
his  youngest  son  Benjamin,  the  son  of  the  right- 
hand,  whom  the  dying  mother  had  named  Benoni, 
the  son  of  my  sorrow ;  by  this  means  providing, 
that  the  crook  in  his  lot  should  not  be  set  afresh  in 
his  view,  on  every  occasion  of  mentioning  the  name 


OFTEN  EXPOSES  TO  TEMPTATION".       21 

of  his  son.  Indeed,  a  Christian  may  safely  take  a 
steady  and  leisurely  view  of  the  crook  of  his  lot  in 
the  light  of  the  holy  word,  which  represents  it  as 
the  discipline  of  the  covenant.  So  faith  will  dis- 
cover a  hidden  sightliness  in  it,  under  a  very  un- 
sightly outward  appearance  ;  perceiving  the  suita- 
bleness thereof  to  the  infuute  goodness,  love,  and 
wisdom  of  God,  and  to  the  real  and  most  valuable 
interests  of  the  party :  by  which  means  one  comes 
to  take  pleasure,  and  that  a  most  refined  pleasure, 
in  distresses.  2  Cor.  xii.  10.  But  whatever  the 
crook  in  the  lot  be  to  the  eye  of  faith,  it  is  not  at 
all  pleasant  to  the  eye  of  sense. 

(3.)  Unfitness  for  motion.  Solomon  observes 
the  cause  of  the  uneasy  and  ungraceful  walking  of 
the  lame,  Prov.  xxvi.  7.  "  The  legs  of  the  lame  are 
not  equal."  This  uneasiness  they  find,  who  are  ex- 
ercised about  the  crook  in  their  lot:  a  high  spirit 
and  a  low  adverse  lot,  makes  great  difliculty  in  the 
Christian  walk.  There  is  nothing  that  gives  temp- 
tation more  easy  access,  than  the  crook  in  the  lot ; 
nothing  more  apt  to  occasion  out-of-the-way  steps. 
Therefore,  saith  the  apostle,  Heb.  xii.  13.  "  Make 
straight  paths  for  your  feet,  lest  that  which  is  lame 
be  turned  out  the  way."  They  who  are  labouring 
under  it  are  to  be  pitied  then,  and  not  to  be  rigidly 
censured  ;  though  they  are  rare  persons  who  learn 
this  lesson,  till  taught  by  their  own  experience.  It 
is  long  since  Job  made  an  observation  in  this  case, 
which  holds  good  unto  this  day.  Job  xii.  5,  "  He 
that  is  ready  to  slip  with  his  feet,  is  as  a  lamp  des- 
pised in  the  thought  of  him  that  is  at  ease." 


22  DIFFERENT    IX  DIFFERENT    PERSONS. 

(4.)  "  Aptness  to  catch  hold  and  entangle,  like 
hooks,  fish-hooks."  Amos  iv.  2.  The  crook  in  the 
lot  doth  so  very  readily  make  impression,  to  the 
ruffling  and  fretting  one's  spirit,  irritating  corrup- 
tion, that  Satan  fails  not  to  make  diligent  use  of  it 
for  these  dangerous  purposes ;  which  point  once 
gained  by  the  tempter,  the  tempted,  ere  he  is  aware 
finds  himself  entangled  as  in  a  thicket,  out  of  which 
he  knows  not  how  to  extricate  himself.  In  that 
temptation  it  often  proves  like  a  crooked  stick, 
troubling  a  standing  pool,  which  not  only  raises  up 
the  mud  all  over,  but  brings  up  from  the  bottom 
some  very  ugly  thing.  Thus  it  brought  up  a  spice 
of  blasphemy  and  atheism  in  Asaph's  case,  Psal. 
Ixxiii.  13.  "Verily  I  have  cleansed  my  heart  in 
vain,  and  washed  my  hands  in  innocence  :"  as  if 
he  had  said.  There  is  nothing  at  all  in  religion,  it 
is  a  vain  and  empty  thing,  that  profiteth  nothing  ; 
I  was  a  fool  to  have  been  in  care  about  purity  and 
holiness,  whether  of  heart  or  life.  Ah !  is  this 
the  pious  Asaph  ?  How  is  he  turned  so  white  un- 
like himself !  but  the  crook  in  the  lot  is  a  handle, 
whereby  the  tempter  makes  surprising  discoveries 
of  latent  corruption  even  in  the  best. 

This  is  the  nature  of  the  crook  in  the  lot ;  let 
us  now  observe  what  part  of  the  lot  it  falls  in. 
Three  conclusions  may  be  established  upon  this 
head. 

1st.  It  may  fall  in  any  part  of  the  lot ;  there  is 
no  exempted  one  in  the  case  :  for,  sin  being  found 
in  every  part,  the  crook  may  take  place  in  any 
part.     Being  "  all  as  an  unclean  thing,  we  may 


DIFFERENT    IX    DIFFERENT    PERSONS.  23 

all  fade  as  a  leaf."  Isa.  l.xiv.  6.  The  main  stream 
of  sin,  which  the  crook,  readily  follows,  runs  in 
very  dillerent  channels,  in  the  case  of  different 
persons.  And  in  regard  of  the  various  dispositions 
of  the  minds  of  men,  that  will  prove  a  sinking 
weight  unto  one,  wliich  another  would  go  very 
lightly  under. 

2dly.  It  may  at  once  fall  into  many  parts  of  the 
lot,  the  Lord  calling,  as  in  a  solemn  day,  one's  ter- 
rors round  about,  Lam.  ii.  22.  Sometimes  God 
makes  one  notable  crook  in  a  man's  lot ;  but  its 
name  may  be  Gad,  being  but  the  forerunner  of  a 
troop  which  cometh. — Then  the  crooks  are  multi- 
plied, so  that  the  party  is  made  to  halt  on  each 
side.  While  one  stream,  let  in  from  one  quarter, 
is  running  full  against  him,  another  is  let  in  on 
him  from  another  quarter,  till  in  the  end  the  waters 
break  in  on  every  hand. 

3dly.  It  often  falls  in  the  tender  part ;  I  mean, 
that  part  of  the  lot  wherein  one  is  least  able  to 
bear  it,  or,  at  least  thinks  he  is  so.  Psal.  Iv.  12, 
13.  "  It  was  not  an  enemy  that  reproached  me, 
then  I  could  have  borne  it.  But  it  was  thou,  a 
man,  mine  equal,  my  guide,  and  mine  acquaint- 
ance." If  there  is  any  one  part  of  the  lot,  which 
of  all  others  one  is  disposed  to  nestle  in,  the  thorn 
will  readily  be  laid  there,  especially  if  he  belongs 
to  God  ;  in  that  thing  wherein  he  is  least  of  all 
able  to  be  touched,  he  will  be  sure  to  be  pressed. 
There  tlie  trial  will  be  taken  of  him  ;  for  there  is 
the  grand  competition  with  Christ.  "  I  take  from 
them  the  desires  of  their  eyes,  and  that  where- 


24  IN    SOME,    IN    BODILY    DEFECTS. 

Upon  they  set  their  minds,"  Ezek.  xxiv.  25.  Since 
the  crook  in  the  lot  is  the  special  trial  appointed  for 
every  one,  it  is  altogether  reasonable,  and  becom- 
ing the  wisdom  of  God,  that  it  fall  on  that  which 
of  all  things  doth  most  rival  him. 

But  more  particularly,  the  crook  may  be  observ- 
ed to  fall  in  these  four  parts  of  the  lot. 

First,  In  the  natural  part  affecting  persons  con- 
sidered as  of  the  make  allotted  for  them  by  the 
great  God  that  formed  all  things.  The  parents  of 
mankind,  Adam,  and  Eve,  were  formed  altogether 
sound  and  entire,  without  the  least  blemish,  wheth- 
er in  soul  or  body ;  but  in  the  formation  of  their 
posterity,  there  often  appears  a  notable  variation 
from  the  original.  Bodily  defects,  superfluities, 
deformities,  infirmities,  natural  or  accidental,  made 
the  crook  in  the  lot  of  some  :  they  have  something 
unsightly  or  grievous  about  them.  Crooks  of  this 
kind,  more  or  less  observable,  are  very  common 
and  ordinary ;  the  best  are  not  exempted  from 
them :  and  it  is  purely  owing  to  sovereign  pleas- 
ure they  are  not  more  numerous.  Tender  eyes 
made  the  crook  in  the  lot  of  Leah,  Gen.  xxix.  17. 
Rachel's  beauty  was  balanced  with  barrenness, 
the  crook  in  her  lot,  chap.  xxx.  1.  Paul,  the  great 
apostle  of  the  Gentiles,  was,  it  should  seem,  no  per- 
sonable man,  but  of  a  mean  outward  appearance, 
for  which  fools  were  apt  to  contemn  him,  2  Cor. 
X.  10.  Timothy  was  of  a  weak  and  sickly  frame,  1 
Tim.  V.  23.  And  there  is  a  yet  far  more  consid- 
erable crook  in  the  lot  of  the  lame,  the  blind,  the 
deaf,  and  dumb.     Some  are  weak  to  a  degree  in 


IN  OTHERS,  THEIR  REPUTATION.  25 

their  intellects  ;  and  it  is  tlie  crook  in  the  lot  of 
several  bright  soiils  to  be  overcast  with  clouds, 
notably  bemisted  and  darkened,  from  the  crazy 
bodies  they  are  lodsjed  in ;  an  eminent  instance 
whereof  we  have  in  the  grave,  wise,  and  patient  Job, 
"  going  mourning  without  the  sun  ;  yea,  standing 
up  and  crying  in  the  congregation."  Job.  xxx.  28. 
Secondly.  It  may  fall  in  the  honorary  part. 
There  is  an  honour  due  to  all  men,  the  small  as 
well  as  the  great.  1  Pet.  ii.  17,  and  that  upon  the 
ground  of  the  original  constitution  of  human  nature, 
as  it  was  framed  in  the  image  of  God.  But,  in  the 
sovereign  disposal  of  holy  Providence,  the  crook 
in  the  lot  of  some  falls  here  ;  they  are  neglected 
and  slighted  ;  their  credit  is  still  kept  low :  they 
go  through  the  world  under  a  cloud,  being  put  into 
an  ill  name,  their  reputation  sunk.  This  sometimes 
is  the  natural  consequence  of  their  own  foolish  and 
sinful  conduct;  as  in  the  case  of  Dinah,  who,  by 
her  gadding  abroad  to  satisfy  her  youthful  curiosity, 
regardless  of,  and  therefore  not  wailing  for  a  provi- 
dential call,  brought  a  lasting  stain  on  her  honour, 
Gen.  xxxiv.  But,  where  the  Lord  intends  a  crook 
of  this  kind  in  one's  lot,  innocence  will  not  be  able 
to  ward  it  off  in  an  ill-natured  world  ;  neither  will 
true  merit  be  able  to  make  head  against  it,  to  make 
one's  lot  stand  straight  in  that  part.  Thus  David 
represents  his  case,  Psal.  xxxi.  II — 13.  "They 
that  did  see  me  without,  fled  from  me  :  I  am  for- 
gotten as  a  dea!  man  out  of  mind :  I  am  like  a 
broken  vessel.  For  1  have  heard  the  slander  of 
many." 

3 


28         IN    OTHERS,    THEIR    CALLING   IN   LIFE. 

Thirdly,  It  may  fall  in  the  vocational  part. 
Whatever  is  a  man's  calling  or  station  in  the 
world,  be  it  sacred  or  civil,  the  crook  in  their  lot 
may  take  its  place  therein.  Isaiah  was  an  eminent 
prophet,  but  most  unsuccessful,  Isa.  liii.  1.  Jere- 
miah met  with  such  a  train  of  discouragements  and 
ill  usage  in  the  exercise  of  his  sacred  function, 
that  he  was  very  near  giving  it  up,  sayjng,  "  I  will 
not  make  mention  of  him,  nor  speak  any  more  in 
his  name."  Jer.  xx  9.  The  Psalmist  observes  this 
crook  often  to  be  made  in  the  lot  of  some  men  very 
industrious  in  their  civil  business  who  sow  in  the 
fields — and  at  times  "  God  blesseth  them — and 
suffereth  not  their  cattle  to  decrease  ;  but  again, 
they  are  minished,  and  brought  low,  through  op- 
pression, affliction,  and  sorrow."  Psal.  cvii.  37 — 
39.  Such  a  crook  was  made  in  Job's  lot  after  he 
had  lonor  stood  even.  Some  manage  their  em- 
ployments  with  all  care  and  diligence  ;  the  hus- 
bandman carefully  labouring  his  ground  ;  the  sheep- 
master  "  diligent  to  know  the  state  of  his  flocks, 
and  looking  well  to  his  herds  ;"  the  tradesman, 
early  and  late  at  his  business  ;  the  merchant,  dili- 
gently plying  his,  watching  and  falling  in  with  the 
most  fair  and  promising  opportunities  ;  but  there 
is  such  a  crook  in  that  part  of  their  lot,  as  all  they 
are  able  to  do  can  by  no  means  make  even.  For 
why?  The  most  proper  means  used  for  compass- 
ing an  end  are  insignificant  without  a  word  of  di- 
vine appointment  commanding  their  success. 
"  Who  is  he  that  saith,  and  it  cometh  to  pass, 
when  the  Lord  commandeth  it  not?"  Lam.  iii.  37. 


IN  OTHERS,  THEIR  NEAREST  RELATIONS.         27 

People  ply  their  business  with  skill  and  industry, 
but  the  wind  turns  in  their  face.  Providence 
crosses  their  enterprises,  disconcerts  tlieir  mea- 
sures, frustrates  their  hopes  and  expectations,  ren- 
ders their  endeavours  unsuccessful,  and  so  puts 
and  keeps  them  still  in  straitened  circumstances. 
"  80  the  race  is  not  to  the  swift,  nor  the  battle  to 
the  strong,  neither  yet  bread  to  the  wise."  Eccl. 
ix.  11.  Providence  interposing,  crooks  the  mea- 
sures which  human  prudence  and  industry  had 
laid  straight  towards  the  respective  ends  ;  so  the 
swift  lose  the  race,  and  the  strong  the  battle,  and 
the  wise  miss  of  bread ;  while,  in  the  mean  time, 
some  one  or  the  other  providential  incident,  sup- 
plying the  defect  of  human  wisdom,  conduct,  and 
ability,  the  slow  gain  the  race  and  carry  the  prize  ; 
the  weak  win  the  battle  and  enrich  themselves 
with  the  spoil;  and  bread  falls  into  the  lap  of  the 
fool. 

Lastly,  It  may  fall  in  the  relational  part.  Rela- 
tions are  the  joints  of  society  ;  and  there  the  crook 
in  the  lot  may  take  place,  one's  smartest  pain  being 
often  felt  in  these  joints.  They  are  in  their  nature 
the  springs  of  man's  comfort ;  yet,  they  often  turn 
the  greatest  bitterness  to  him.  Sometimes  this 
crook  is  occasioned  by  the  loss  of  relations. 
Thus  a  crook  was  made  in  the  lot  of  Jacob,  by 
means  of  the  death  of  Rachel,  his  beloved  wife, 
and  the  loss  of  Joseph,  his  son  and  darling,  which 
had  like  to  have  made  him  jjo  halting  to  the  grave. 
Job  laments  this  crook  in  his  lot,  Job  xvi.  7. 
"  Thou   hast  made   desolate    all   my   company ;" 


28  IN    DOMESTIC    DISQUIETUDE. 

meaning  his  dear  children,  every  one  of  whom  he 
had  laid  in  the  grave,  not  so  much  as  one  son  or 
daughter  left  him.  Again,  sometimes  it  is  made 
through  the  afflicting  hand  of  God  lying  heavy  on 
them  ;  which,  in  virtue  of  their  relation,  recoils  on 
the  party,  as  is  feelingly  expressed  by  that  believ- 
ing woman.  Matt.  xv.  22.  "  Have  mercy  on  me, 
O  Lord ;  my  daughter  is  grievously  vexed." 
Ephraim  felt  the  smart  of  family  afflictions, 
"  when  he  called  his  son's  name  Beriah,  because 
it  went  evil  with  his  house."  1  Chron.  vii.  23. 
Since  all  is  not  only  vanity,  but  vexation  of  spirit, 
it  can  hardly  miss,  but  the  more  of  these  springs 
of  comfort  are  opened  to  a  man,  he  must,  at  one 
time  or  other,  find  he  has  but  the  more  sources  of 
sorrows  to  gush  out  and  spring  in  upon  him  ;  the 
sorrow  always  proportioned  to  the  comfort  found 
in  them,  or  expected  from  them.  And,  finally,  the 
crook  is  sometimes  made  here  by  their  proving 
uncomfortable  through  the  disagreeableness  of 
their  temper,  and  disposition.  There  was  a  crook, 
in  Job's  lot,  by  means  of  an  undutiful,  ill-natured 
wife,  Job  xix.  17.  In  Abigail's,  by  means  of  a 
surly,  ill-tempered  husband,  1  Sam.  xxv.  25.  In 
Eli's,  through  the  perverseness  and  obstinacy  of 
his  children,  chap.  ii.  25.  In  Jonathan's,  through 
the  furious  temper  of  his  father,  chap.  xx.  30 — 33. 
So  do  men  oftentimes  find  their  greatest  cross, 
where  they  expected  their  greatest  comfort.  Sin 
hath  unhinged  the  whole  creation,  and  made  every 
relation  susceptible  of  the  crook.  In  the  family 
are  found  masters  hard  and  unjust,  servants  fro- 


COD,  THE  AUTHOR  OF  THESE  DISPENSATIONS.  29 

ward  and  unfaithful ;  in  a  neighbourhood,  men  sel- 
fish and  uneasy ;  in  the  church,  ministers  unedi- 
fying,  and  offensive  in  their  \v:ilk,  and  people  con- 
temptuous and  disorderly,  a  burden  to  the  spirits 
of  ministers  ;  in  the  state,  magistrates  oppressive, 
and  discountenancers  of  that  which  is  good,  and 
subjects  turbulent  and  seditious  ;  all  these  cause 
crooks  in  the  lot  of  their  relatives.  And  thus  far 
of  the  crook  itself. 

II.  Having  seen  the  crook  itself,  we  are  in  the 
next  place,  to  consider  of  God's  making  it.  And 
here  is  to  be  shown,  1.  That  it  is  of  God's  mak- 
ing. 2.  How  it  is  of  his  making.  3.  Why  he 
makes  it. 

First,  That  the  crook  in  the  lot,  whatever  it  is, 
is  of  God's  making  appears  from  these  three  con- 
siderations. 

First,  It  cannot  be  questioned,  but  the  crook  in 
the  lot,  considered  as  a  crook,  is  a  penal  evil, 
whatever  it  is  for  the  matter  thereof;  that  is, 
whether  the  thing  in  itself,  its  immediate  cause 
and  occasion,  be  sinful  or  not,  it  is  certainly  a 
punishment  or  affliction.  Now,  as  it  may  be,  as 
such,  holily  and  justly  brought  on  us,  by  our  Sov- 
ereign Lord  and  Judge,  so  he  expressly  claims  the 
doing  or  making  of  it,  Amos  iii.  6.  "  Shall  there 
be  evil  in  a  city,  and  the  Lord  hath  not  done  it  ?" 
Wherefore,  since  there  can  be  no  penal  evil,  but 
of  God's  making,  and  the  crook  in  the  lot  is  such 
an  evil,  it  is  necessarily  concluded  to  be  of  God's 
making. 

Secondly,  It  is  evident,  from  the  scripture  doc- 
3* 


30    ALL  ARE  UNDER  HIS  ARRANGEMENT. 

trine  of  divine  providence,  that  God  brings  about 
every  man's  lot,  and  all  the  parts  thereof.  He  sits 
at  the  helm  of  human  affairs,  and  turns  them  about 
whithersoever  he  listeth.  "  Whatsoever  the  Lord 
please,  that  did  he  in  heaven  and  in  earth,  in  the 
seas  and  all  deep  places,"  Psal.  cxxxv.  6.  There 
is  not  any  thing  whatsoever  befalls  us,  without  his 
overruling  hand.  The  same  providence  that 
brought  us  out  of  the  womb,  bringeth  us  to,  and 
fixeth  us  in,  the  condition  and  place  allotted  for 
us,  by  him  who  "  hath  determined  the  times,  and 
the  bounds  of  our  habitation."  Acts  xvii.  26.  It 
overrules  the  smallest  and  most  casual  things 
about  us,  such  as  "  hairs  of  our  head  falling  on  the 
ground,"  Matt.  x.  29,  30.  "  A  lot  cast  into  the 
lap."  Prov.  xvi.  33.  Yea,  the  free  acts  of  our 
will,  whereby  we  choose  for  ourselves,  for  even 
"  the  king's  heart  is  in  the  hand  of  the  Lord,  as 
the  rivers  of  water."  Prov.  xxi.  1 .  And  the  whole 
steps  we  make,  and  which  others  make  in  refer- 
ence to  us ;  for  "  the  way  of  man  is  not  in  him- 
self; it  is  not  in  man  that  walketh  to  direct  his 
steps."  Jer.  x.  23.  And  this,  whether  these  steps 
causing  the  crook  be  deliberate  and  sinful  ones, 
such  as  Joseph's  brethren  selling  him  into  Egypt ; 
or  whether  they  be  undesigned,  such  as  man- 
slaughter purely  casual,  as  when  one  hewing 
wood,  kills  his  neighbour  with  "  the  head  of  the 
axe  slipping  from  the  helve."  Deut.  xix.  5.  For 
there  is  a  holy  and  wise  providence  that  governs 
the  sinful  and  the  heedless  actions  of  men,  as  a 
rider  doth  a  lame  horse,  of  whose  halting,  not  he, 


ALL    ARE    UNDER    HIS    ARRANGEMENT.  31 

but  the  horse's  lameness,  is  tlie  true  and  proper 
cause  ;  wherefore  in  the  former  of  these  cases, 
God  is  said  to  have  sent  Joseph  into  Ejjypt,  Gen. 
xlv.  7,  and  in  the  latter,  to  deliver  one  into  his 
neighbour's  hand,  Exod.  xxi.  13. 

Lastly,  God  hath,  by  an  eternal  decree,  immove- 
able as  mountains '<n^rass,  Zech.  vi.  1,  appointed 
the  whole  of  every  one's  lot,  the  crooked  parts 
thereof,  as  well  as  the  straight.  By  the  same 
eternal  decree,  whereby  the  high  and  low  parts  of 
the  earth,  the  mountains  and  the  valleys,  were  ap- 
pointed, are  the  heights  and  the  depths,  the  pros- 
perity and  adversity,  in  the  lot  of  the  inhabitants 
thereof  determined  ;  and  they  are  brought  about, 
in  time,  in  a  perfect  agreeableness  thereto. 

The  mystery  of  Providence,  in  the  government 
of  the  world,  is,  in  all  the  parts  thereof,  the  build- 
ing reared  up  of  God,  in  exact  conformity  to  the 
plan  in  his  decree,  "  who  worketh  all  things  after 
the  counsel  of  his  own  will.''  Eph.  i.  11.  So  that 
there  is  never  a  crook  in  one's  lot,  but  may  be  run 
up  to  this  original.  Hereof  Job  piously  sets  us  an 
example  in  his  own  case.  Job  xviii.  13,  14.  "  He 
is  of  one  mind,  and  who  can  turn  him  ?"  and  what 
his  soul  desireth,  even  that  he  doth.  For  he  per- 
formeth  the  thing  that  is  appointed  for  me  ;  and 
many  such  things  are  with  him." 

Secondly,  That  we  may  see  how  the  crook  in 
the  lot  is  of  God's  making,  we  must  distinguish 
between  pure  sinless  crooks,  and  impure  sinful 
ones. 

First,  There  are  pure  and  sinless  crooks ;  which 


32  SINLESS  AND  SINFUL  CROOKS. 

are  mere  afflictions,  cleanly  crosses,  grievous  in- 
deed, but  not  defiling.  Such  was  Lazarus's  po- 
verty, Rachel's  barrenness,  Leah's  tender  eyes, 
the  blindness  of  the  man  who  had  been  so  from 
Ills  birth,  John  ix.  1.  Now,  the  crooks  of  this 
kind  are  of  God's  making,  by  the  efficacy  of  his 
power  directly  bringing  them  to  pass,  and  causing 
them  to  be.  He  is  the  maker  of  the  poor,  Prov. 
xvii.  5.  "  Whoso  mocketh  the  poor,  reproacheth 
his  Maker  ;"  that  is,  reproacheth  God  who  made 
him  poor,  according  to  that,  1  Sam.  ii.  7,  "The 
Lord  maketh  poor."  It  is  he  that  hath  the  key  of 
the  womb,  and  as  he  sees  meet,  shuts  it,  1  Sam.  i. 
5,  or  opens  it.  Gen.  xxix.  31.  And  it  is  "  he  that 
formeth  the  eyes,"  Psal.  xciv.  9.  And  the  man 
was  "  born  blind,  that  the  works  of  God  should  be 
made  manifest  in  him."  John  ix.  3.  Therefore  he 
saith  to  Moses,  Exod.  iv.  11.  "Who  maketh  the 
dumb,  or  d«af,  or  the  seeing,  or  the  blind?  Have 
not  I,  the  Lord  ?"  Such  crooks  in  the  lot  are  of 
God's  making,  in  the  most  ample  sense,  and  in 
their  full  comprehension,  being  the  direct  effects  of 
his  agency,  as  well  as  the  heavens  and  the  earth. 
Secondly,  There  are  impure  sinful  crooks, 
which,  in  their  own  nature,  are  sins  as  well  as  af- 
flictions, defiling  as  well  as  grievous.  Such  was 
the  crook  made  in  David's  lot,  through  his  family 
disorders,  the  defiling  of  Tamar,  the  murder  of 
Amnon,  the  rebellion  of  Absalom,  all  of  them  un- 
natural. Of  the  same  kind  was  that  made  in 
Job's  lot  by  the  Sabeans  and  Chaldeans,  taking 
away  his  substance  and  slaying  his  servants.     As 


GOD  TO   BE   ACKNOWLEDGED   IN  AFFLICTIONS.    33 

these  were  the  afllictions  of  Davitl  and  Job  res- 
pectively, SO  they  were  the  sins  of  the  actors,  the 
unhappy  instruments  tliereof.  Thus  one  and  the 
same  thing  may  be,  to  one  a  heinous  sin,  defiling 
and  laying  him  under  guilt,  and  to  another  an  af- 
fliction, laying  him  under  suffering  only.  Now, 
the  crooks  of  this  kind  are  not  of  God's  making, 
in  the  same  latitude  as  those  of  the  former  ;  for 
he  neither  puts  evil  in  the  heart  of  any,  nor  S'tir- 
reth  up  to  it :  "  He  cannot  be  tempted  with  evil, 
neither  tempteth  he  any  man."  James  i.  13.  But 
they  are  of  his  making,  by  his  holy  permission  of 
them  ;  powerful  bounding  of  them,  and  wise  over- 
ruling of  them  to  some  good  end. 

1st.  He  holily  permits  them,  suffering  men  "to 
walk  in  their  own  wavs."  Acts  xiv.  16.  Though 
he  is  not  the  author  of  those  sinful  crooks,  causing 
them  to  be,  by  the  efficacy  of  his  power:  yet,  if  he 
did  not  permit  them,  willing  not  to  hinder  them, 
they  could  not  be  at  all  :  for  *'  he  shutteth  and  no 
man  openeth."  Rev.  iii.  7.  But  he  justly  with- 
holds his  grace  which  the  sinner  doth  not  desire, 
takes  off  the  restraint  under  wliich  he  is  uneasy, 
and  since  the  sinner  will  be  gone,  lays  the  reins 
on  his  neck,  and  leaves  him  to  the  swing  of  his 
lust.  Hos.  iv.  17.  "  Ephraim  is  joined  to  idols; 
let  him  alone."  Psal.  Ixxxi.  11,  12.  "Israel 
would  none  of  me  :  so  I  gave  them  up  to  their 
own  heart's  lusts."  In  which  unhappy  situation 
the  sinful  crook  doth,  from  the  sinner's  own  proper 
motion,  naturally  and  infallibly  follow ;  even  as 
water  runs  down  a  hill,  wherever  there  is  a  gap 


34        LIMITED  BY  HIS  POWER  AND  GOODNESS. 

left  open  before  it.  So  in  these  circumstances, 
"  Israel  walked  in  their  own  counsels,"  ver.  12. 
And  thus  this  kind  of  crook  is  of  God's  making, 
as  a  just  judge,  punishing  the  sufferer  by  it.  This 
view  of  the  matter  silenced  David  under  Shimei's 
cursings,  2  Sam.  xvi,  10,  11.  "  Let  him  alone,  and 
let  him  curse,  for  the  Lord  hath  bidden  him." 

2dly.  He  powerfully  bounds  them,  Psal.  Ixxvi. 
10.  "  The  remainder  of  wrath"  (that  is,  the  crea- 
ture's wrath)  "  thou  shalt  restrain."  Did  not  God 
bound  these  crooks,  however  sore  they  are  in  any 
one's  case,  they  would  be  yet  sorer.  But  he  says 
to  the  sinful  instrument,  as  he  said  to  the  sea, 
"  Hitherto  shalt  thou  come,  but  no  farther ;  and 
here  shall  thy  proud  waves  be  stayed."  He  lays 
a  restraining  hand  on  him,  that  he  cannot  go  one 
step  farther,  in  the  way  his  impetuous  lust  drives, 
than  he  sees  meet  to  permit.  Hence  it  comes  to 
pass,  that  the  crook  of  this  kind  is  neither  more 
nor  less,  but  just  as  great  as  he  by  his  powerful 
boundinor  makes  it  to  be.  An  eminent  instance 
hereof  we  have  in  the  case  of  Job,  whose  lot  was 
crooked  through  a  peculiar  agency  of  the  devil ; 
but  even  to  that  grand  sinner,  God  set  a  bound  in 
the  case  :  "  The  Lord  said  unto  Satan,  Behold  all 
that  he  hath  is  in  thy  power,  only  upon  himself 
put  not  forth  thine  hand."  Job  i.  12.  Now,  Satan 
went  the  full  length  of  the  bound,  leaving  nothing 
within  the  compass  thereof  untouched,  which  he 
saw  could  make  for  his  purpose,  ver.  18,  19.  But 
he  could  by  no  means  move  one  step  beyond  it,  to 
carry  his  point,  which  he  could  not  gain  within  it. 


OVERRULED  FOR  SOME  GOOD  PURPOSE.    35 

Antl  therefore,  to  make  tlie  trial  greater,  and  the 
crook  sorer,  nothing  remained  but  that  the  bound 
set  should  be  removed,  and  the  sphere  of  his 
agency  enlarged ;  for  which  cause  he  saith,  "  But 
touch  his  bone  and  his  ilcsh  and  he  will  curse  thee 
to  thy  face,"  chap.  ii.  5,  and  it  being  removed  ac- 
cordingly, but  withal  a  new  one  set,  ver.  6.  "  Be- 
hold he  is  in  thine  hand,  but  save  his  life;"  the 
crook  was  carried  to  the  utmost  that  the  new  bound 
would  permit,  in  a  consistency  with  his  design  of 
bringing  Job  to  blaspheme  ;  "  Satan  smote  him 
with  sore  boils,  from  the  sole  of  his  foot  unto  the 
crown  of  his  head,"  ver.  7.  And  had  it  not  been 
for  this  bound,  securing  Job's  life,  he,  after  finding 
this  attempt  unsuccessful  too,  had  doubtless  des- 
patched him  at  once. 

3dly.  He  wisely  overrules  them  to  some  good 
purpose,  becoming  the  divine  perfections.  While 
the  sinful  instrument  hath  an  ill  design  in  the  crook 
caused  by  him,  God  directs  it  to  a  holy  and  good 
end.  In  the  disorders  of  David's  family,  Amnon's 
design  was  to  gratify  a  brutish  lust ;  Absalom's,  to 
glut  himself  with  revenge,  and  to  satisfy  his  pride 
and  ambition  ;  but  God  meant  thereby  to  punish 
David  for  his  sin  in  the  matter  of  Uriah.  In  the 
crook  made  in  Job's  lot,  by  Satan,  and  the  Sabe 
ans  and  Chaldeans,  his  instruments,  Satan's  design 
"was  to  cause  Job  to  blasj)heme,  and  theirs  to  gra- 
tify their  covetousness  :  but  God  had  another  de- 
sign therein  becoming  himself,  namely,  to  manifest 
Job's  sincerity  and  uprightness.  Did  not  he 
wisely  and  powerfully  overrule  these  crooks  made 


36  WHY  IS  THE  CROOK  APPOINTED^ 

in  men's  lot,  no  good  could  come  out  of  them ;  but 
he  always  overrules  them  so  as  to  fulfil  his  own 
holy  purposes  thereby :  (hovvbeit  the  sinner  mean- 
eth  not  so ;)  for  his  designs  cannot  miscarry,  his 
"  counsel  shall  stand,"  Isa.  xlvi.  10.  So  the  sinful 
crook  is,  by  the  overruling  hand  of  God,  turned 
about  to  his  own  glory,  and  his  people's  good  in 
the  end ;  according  to  the  word,  Prov.  xvi.  4. 
"  The  Lord  hath  made  all  things  for  himself." 
Rom.  viii.  28.  "  All  things  w^ork  together  for  good 
to  them  that  love  God."  Thus  Haman's  plot  for 
the  destniction  of  the  Jews  "  was  turned  to  the 
contrary."  Esth.  ix.  1.  And  the  crook  made  in 
Joseph's  lot,  by  his  own  brethren  selling  him  into 
Eg}''pt,  though  it  was  on  their  part  most  sinful,  and 
of  a  most  mischievous  design  ;  yet,  as  it  was  of 
God's  making,  by  his  holy  permission,  powerful 
bounding,  and  wisely  overruling  it,  had  an  issue 
well  becoming  the  divine  wisdom  and  goodness : 
both  of  which  Joseph  notices  to  them,  Gen.  1.  20. 
"  As  for  you,  ye  thought  evil  against  me  ;  but  God 
meant  it  unto  good,  to  bring  to  pass,  as  it  is  this 
day,  to  save  much  people  alive." 

Thirdly,  It  remains  to  inquire,  why  God  makes 
a  crook  in  one's  lot  ?  And  this  is  to  be  cleared  by 
discovering  the  design  of  that  dispensation  :  a  mat- 
ter which  it  concerns  every  one  to  k:iow,  and  care- 
fully to  notice,  in  order  to  a  Christian  improvement 
of  the  crook  in  their  lot.  The  design  thereof 
seems  to  be,  chiefly,  sevenfold. 

First.  The  trial  of  one's  state,  whether  one  is  in 
the  state  of  grace  or  not  ?  Whether  a  sincere  Chris- 


FOR  THE  TRIAL  OF  0NE*3  STATE.  37 

tian,  or  a  hypocrite  ?  Though  every  aflliction  is 
trying,  yet  here  I  conceive  lies  the  main  providen- 
tial trial  a  man  is  brought  into,  with  reference  to  his 
state ;  forasmuch  as  the  crook  in  the  lot,  being  a 
mailer  of  continued  course,  one  has  occasion  to 
open  and  show  himself  again  and  again  in  the  same 
thing  ;  whence  it  comes  to  pass,  that  it  ministers 
ground  for  a  decision,  m  that  momentous  point.  It 
was  plainly  on  this  foundation  that  the  trial  of  Job's 
state  was  put.  The  question  was,  whether  Job  was 
an  upright  and  sincere  servant  of  God,  as  God 
himself  testified  of  him  ;  or  but  a  mercenary  one, 
a  hypocrite,  as  Satan  alleged  against  him  ?  And 
the  trial  hereof  was  put  upon  the  crook  to  be  made 
in  his  lot,  Job  i.  8 — 12.  and  ii.  3 — 6.  Accord- 
ingly, that  which  all  his  friends,  save  Elihu,  the 
last  speaker,  did,  in  their  reasonings  with  him  un- 
der his  trial,  aim  at,  was  to  prove  him  a  hypocrite  ; 
Satan  thus  making  use  of  these  good  men  for  gain- 
ing his  point.  x\s  God  made  trial  of  Israel  in  the 
wilderness,  for  the  land  of  Canaan,  by  a  train  of 
afflicting  dispensations,  which  Caleb  and  Joshua 
bearing  strenuously,  were  declared  meet  to  enter 
the  promised  land,  as  having  followed  the  Lord 
fully  ;  while  others  being  tired  out  with  them,  their 
carcasses  fell  in  the  wilderness  ;  so  he  makes  tria 
of  men  for  heaven,  by  the  crook  in  their  lot.  If 
one  can  stand  that  test,  he  is  manifested  to  be  a 
saint,  a  sincere  servant  of  God,  as  Job  was  proved 
to  be ;  if  not,  he  is  but  a  hypocrite  ;  he  cannot 
stand  the  test  of  the  crook  in  his  lot,  but  goes  away 

4 


38  FOR    THE    TRIAL    OF    ONE's    STATE. 

like  dross  in  God's  furnace.  A  melanclioly  in- 
stance of  which  we  have  in  that  man  of  honour 
and  weahh,  who,  with  high  pretences  of  religion, 
arising  from  a  principle  of  moral  seriousness,  ad- 
dressed himself  to  our  Saviour,  to  know  "  what  he 
should  do  that  he  might  inherit  eternal  life."  Mark 
X.  17 — 22.  Our  Saviour,  to  discover  the  man  to 
himself,  makes  a  crook  in  his  lot,  where  all  along 
before  it  had  stood  even,  obliging  him,  by  a  proba- 
tory command,  to  sell  and  give  away  all  that  he 
had,  and  follow  him,  ver.  21.  "Sell  whatsoever 
thou  hast,  and  give  to  the  poor,  and  come  take  up 
the  cross  and  follow  me."  Hereby  he  was,  that 
moment,  in  the  court  of  conscience,  stript  of  his 
great  possessions  ;  so  that  thenceforth  he  could  no 
longer  keep  them,  with  a  good  conscience,  as  he 
might  have  done  before.  The  man  instantly  felt 
the  smart  of  this  crook  made  in  his  lot ;  "  he  was 
sad  at  that  saying,"  ver.  22.  that  is,  immediately 
upon  the  hearing  of  it,  being  struck  with  pain, 
disorder,  and  confusion  of  mind,  his  countenance 
changed,  became  cloudy  and  lowering,  as  the  same 
word  is  used.  Matth.  xvi.  3.  He  could  not  stand 
the  test  of  that  crook ;  he  could  by  no  means  sub- 
mit his  lot  to  God  in  that  point,  but  behooved  to 
have  it,  at  any  rate,  according  to  his  own  mind. 
So  he  "  went  away  grieved,  for  he  had  great  pos- 
sessions." He  went  away  from  Christ  back  to  his 
plentiful  estate,  and  though  with  a  pained  and  sor- 
rowful heart,  sat  him  down  again  on  it  a  violent 
possessor  before  the  Lord,  thwarting  the  divine 


EXCITATION    TO    DUTV.  39 

orJor.  Anil  lln'ie  is  no  appearance  that  ever  this 
order  was  revoked,  or  that  ever  he  came  to  a  bet- 
ter temper  in  reference  thereunto. 

Secondly,  excitation  to  duty,  weaning  one  from 
this  world,  and  prompting  him  to  look  after  the 
happiness  of  the  other  world.  Many  have  been 
beholden  to  the  crook  in  their  lot,  for  that  ever  they 
came  to  themselves,  settled,  and  turned  serious. 
Going  for  a  time  like  a  wild  ass  used  to  the  wilder- 
ness,  scorning  to  be  turned,  their  foot  hath  slid  in 
due  time  ;  and  a  crook  being  thereby  made  in  their 
lot,  their  mouth  hath  come  wherein  they  have  been 
caught.  Jer.  ii.  2 1.  Thus  was  the  prodigal  brought 
to  himself,  and  obliged  to  entertain  thoughts  of  re- 
turning unto  his  father.  Luke  xv.  17.  The  crook 
in  their  lot  convinces  them  at  length  that  here  is 
not  their  rest.  Finding  still  a  pricking  thorn  of 
uneasiness,  whensoever  they  lay  down  their  head 
where  they  would  fain  take  rest  in  the  creature, 
and  that  they  are  obliged  to  lift  it  again,  they  are 
brought  to  conclude,  there  is  no  hope  from  that 
quarter,  and  begin  to  cast  about  for  rest  another 
way,  so  it  makes  them  errands  to  God,  which  they 
had  not  before  ;  forasmuch  as  they  feel  a  need  of 
the  comforts  of  the  other  world,  to  which  their 
mouths  were  out  of  taste,  while  their  lot  stood  even 
to  their  mind.  Wherefore,  whatever  use  we  make 
of  the  crook  in  our  lot,  the  voice  of  it  is,  "  Arise 
ye  and  depart,  this  is  not  your  rest."  And  it  is 
surely  that,  which  of  all  means  of  mortification,  of 
the  afflictive  kind,  doth  most  deaden  a  real  Chris- 
tian to  this  life  and  world. 


40  CONVICTION    OF    SIX. 

Thirdly,  Conviction  of  sin.  As  when  one  walk- 
ing heedlessly  is  suddenly  taken  ill  of  a  lameness  : 
his  going  halting  the  rest  of  his  way  convinces  him 
of  having  made  a  wrong  step  ;  and  every  new  pain- 
ful step  brings  it  afresh  to  his  mind  :  so  God  makes 
a  crook  in  one's  lot,  to  convince  him  of  some  false 
step  he  hath  made,  or  course  he  hath  taken.  What 
the  sinner  would  otherwise  be  apt  to  overlook,  for- 
get, or  think  light  of,  is  by  this  means  recalled  to 
mind,  set  before  him  as  an  evil  and  bitter  thing, 
and  kept  in  remembrance,  that  his  heart  may  every 
now  and  then  bleed  for  it  afresh.  Thus,  by  the 
crook,  men's  sin  finds  them  out  to  their  conviction, 
"  as  the  thief  is  ashamed  when  he  is  found."  Numb, 
xxxii.  23.  Jer.  ii.  26.  The  which  Joseph's  brethren 
do  feelingly  express,  under  the  crook  made  in  their 
lot  in  Egypt,  Gen.  xlii.  11.  "  We  are  verily  guilty 
concerning  our  brother,"  chap.  xliv.  16.  "  God 
hath  found  out  the  iniquity  of  thy  servants."  The 
crook  in  the  lot  doth  usually,  in  its  nature  or  cir- 
cumstances, so  naturally  refer  to  the  false  step  or 
course,  that  it  serves  for  a  providential  memorial 
of  it,  bringino-  the  sin,  tliouoh  of  an  old  date,  fresh 
to  remembrance,  and  for  a  badge  of  the  sinner's 
folly,  in  word  or  deed,  to  keep  it  ever  before  him. 
When  Jacob  found  Leah,  through  Laban's  unfair 
dealing,  palmed  upon  him  for  Rachel,  how  could 
he  miss  of  a  stinging  remembrance  of  the  cheat  he 
had,  seven  years  at  least  before,  put  on  his  own 
father,  pretending  himself  to  be  Esau  ?  Gen.  xxvii. 
19.  How  could  it  miss  of  galling  him  occasion- 
ally afterwards  during  the  course  of  the  marriage  ? 


CORRECTION    FOR    SIN.  41 

He  had  imposed  ou  his  father  the  younger  brother 
for  the  elder  ;  and  Laban  imposed  on  him  the  elder 
sister  for  the  younger.  The  dimness  of  Isaac's 
eves  favoured  the  former  cheat ;  and  the  darkness 
of  the  evening  did  as  much  favour  the  latter.  So 
he  behooved  to  say,  as  Adoni-bezek  in  another  case, 
Judges  i.  7.  "  As  I  have  done,  so  God  hath  re- 
quited me."  In  like  manner,  Rachel  dying  in  child- 
birth, could  hardly  avoid  a  melancholy  reflection 
on  her  rash  and  passionate  expression,  mentioned 
Gen.  XXX.  1.  "  Give  me  children,  or  else  I  die." 
Even  holy  Job  read,  in  the  crook  of  his  lot,  some 
false  steps  he  had  made  in  his  youth,  many  years 
before,  Job  xiii.  26.  "  Thou  writest  bitter  things 
against  me,  and  makest  me  to  possess  the  iniquities 
of  my  youth." 

Fourthly,  Correction,  or  punishment  for  sin.  la 
nothing  more  than  in  the  crook  of  the  lot,  is  that 
word  verified,  Jer.  ii.  19.  "  Thine  own  wickedness 
shall  correct  thee,  and  thy  backslidings  shall  re- 
prove thee."  God  may,  for  a  time,  wink  at  one's 
sin,  which  afterward  he  will  set  a  brand  of  his  in- 
dignation upon,  in  crooking  the  sinner's  lot,  as  he 
did  in  the  case  of  Jacob,  and  of  Rachel,  mentioned 
before.  Though  the  sin  was  a  passing  action,  or 
a  course  of  no  long  continuance,  the  mark  of  the 
divine  displeasure  for  it,  set  on  the  sinner  in  the 
crook  of  his  lot,  may  pain  him  long  and  sore,  that 
by  repeated  experience  he  may  know  what  an  evil 
and  bitter  thing  it  was.  David's  killing  Uriah  by 
^he  sword  of  the  Ammonites  was  soon  over ;  but 
for  that  cause  "  the  sword  never  departed  from  his 

4* 


42  PRE\ENTING    OF    SIX. 

house."  2  Sam.  xii.  10.  Gehazi  quickly  obtained 
two  bags  of  money  from  Naaman,  in  the  way  of 
falsehood  and  lying ;  but  as  a  lasting  mark  of  the 
divine  indignation  against  the  profane  trick,  he  got 
withal  a  leprosy  which  clave  to  him  while  he  lived, 
and  to  his  posterity  after  him.  2  Kings,  v.  27.  This 
may  be  the  case,  as  well  where  the  sin  is  pardoned, 
as  to  the  guilt  of  eternal  wrath,  as  where  it  is  not. 
And  one  may  have  confessed  and  sincerely  repent- 
ed of  that  sin,  which  yet  shall  make  him  go  halting 
to  the  grave,  though  it  cannot  carry  him  to  hell. 
A  man's  person  may  be  accepted  in  the  Beloved, 
who  yet  hath  a  particular  badge  of  the  divine  dis- 
pleasure, with  his  sin  hung  upon  him  in  the  crook 
of  his  lot.  Psal.  xcix.  8.  "  Thou  wast  a  God  that 
forgavest  them,  thouoh  thou  tookest  vengeance  on 
their  inventions." 

Fifthly,  Preventing  of  sin.  Hos.  ii.  6.  "  I  will 
hedge  up  thy  way  with  thorns,  and  make  a  wall 
that  she  shall  not  find  her  paths."  The  crook  in 
the  lot  will  readily  be  found  to  lie  cross  to  some 
wrong  bias  of  the  heart,  which  peculiarly  sways 
with  the  party :  so  it  is  like  a  thorn-hedge  or  wall 
in  the  way  which  that  bias  inclines  him  to.  The 
defiling  objects  in  the  world  do  specially  take  and 
prove  ensnaring,  as  they  are  suited  to  the  particu- 
lar cast  of  temper  in  men :  but  by  means  of  the 
crook  in  the  lot,  the  paint  and  varnish  is  worn  off 
the  defihng  object,  whereby  it  loses  its  former  tak- 
ing appearance :  thus,  the  edge  of  corrupt  affec- 
tions is  blunted,  temptation  weakened,  and  ranch 
sin  prevented ;  the  sinner  after  "  gadding  about  so 


DISCOVERY  OF  LATENT  CORRUPTION.  43 

much  to  change  his  way,  returning  ashamed.*'  Jer 
ii.  36,  37.  Thus  the  Lord  crooks  one's  lot  that 
"  he  may  withdraw  man  from  his  purpose,  and  hide 
pride  from  men :"  and  so  "  he  keepeth  back  his 
soul  from  the  pit."  Job  xxxiii.  17,  18.  Every  one 
knows  what  is  most  pleasant  to  him ;  but  God  alone 
knows  what  is  most  profitable.  As  all  men  are 
liars,  so  all  men  are  fools  too  :  He  is  the  only  wise 
God.  Jude,  ver.  25.  Many  are  oblijred  to  the  crook 
in  their  lot,  that  they  go  not  to  those  excesses, 
which  their  vain  minds  and  corrupt  affections  would 
with  full  sail  carry  them  to ;  and  they  would  from 
their  hearts  bless  God  for  makin<^  it,  if  they  did  but 
calmly  consider  what  would  most  likely  be  the  issue 
of  the  removal  thereof.  When  one  is  in  hazard  of 
fretting  under  the  hardship  of  bearing  the  crook, 
he  would  do  well  to  consider  what  condition  he  is 
as  yet  in  to  bear  its  removal  in  a  Christian  manner. 
Sixthly,  Discovery  of  latent  corruption,  whether 
in  saints  or  sinners.  There  are  some  corruptions 
in  every  man's  heart,  which  lie,  as  it  were,  so  near 
the  surface,  that  they  are  ready  on  every  turn  to 
rise  up ;  but  then  there  are  others  also  which  lie 
so  very  deep,  that  they  are  scarcely  observed  at 
all.  But  as  the  fire  under  the  pot  makes  the  scum 
to  rise  up,  appear  a-top,  and  run  over  ;  so  the  crook 
in  the  lot  raises  up  from  the  bottom,  and  brings 
out,  such  corruption  as  otherwise  one  could  hardly 
imagine  to  be  within.  Who  would  have  suspected 
such  strength  of  passion  in  the  meek  Moses  as  he 
discovered  at  the  waters  of  strife,  and  for  which 
he  was  kept  out  of  Canaan?  Psal.  cvi.  32,  33. 


44  THE    EXERCISE  OF  GRACE. 

Num.  XX.  13.  So  much  bitterness  of  spirit  in  the 
patient  Job,  as  to  charge  God  with  becoming  cruel 
to  him?  Job  xxx.  21.  So  much  ill-nature  in  the 
good  Jeremiah,  as  to  curse  not  only  the  day  of  his 
birth,  but  even  the  man  who  brought  tidings  of  it 
to  his  father?  Jer.  xx.  14,  15.  Or,  such  a  tang  of 
atheism  in  Asaph,  as  to  pronounce  religion  a  vain 
thing?  Psalm  Ixxiii.  13.  But  the  crook  in  the 
lot,  bringing  out  these  things,  showed  them  to 
have  been  within,  how  long  soever  they  had 
lurked  unobserved.  And  as  this  design,  however 
indecently  proud  scoffers  allow  themselves  to  treat 
it,  is  in  no  way  inconsistent  with  the  divine  per- 
fections ;  so  the  discovery  itself  is  necessary  for 
the  due  humiliation  of  sinners,  and  to  stain  the 
pride  of  all  glory,  that  men  may  know  themselves. 
Both  which  appear,  in  that  it  was  on  this  very  de- 
sign that  God  made  the  Ions-continued  crook  in 
Israel's  lot  in  the  wilderness ;  even  to  humble 
them  and  prove  them,  to  know  what  was  in  their 
heart.   Deut.  viii.  2. 

Seventhly,  The  exercise  of  grace  in  the  children 
of  God.  Believers,  through  the  remains  of  in- 
dwelling corruption,  are  liable  to  fits  of  spiritual 
laziness  and  inactivity,  in  which  their  graces  lie 
dormant  for  the  time.  Besides,  there  are  some 
graces,  which  of  their  own  nature  are  but  occa- 
sional in  their  exercise  ;  as  being  exercised  only 
upon  occasion  of  certain  things  which  they  have 
a  necessary  relation  to  :  such  as  patience  and  long- 
suffering.  Now,  the  crook  in  the  lot  serves  to 
rouse  up  a  Christian  to  the  exercise  of  the  graces, 


THE   EXERCISE   OF   GRACE.  45 

overpowered  by  corruption,  and  withal  to  call  forth 
to  action  the  occasional  graces,  ministering  proper 
occasions  for  them.  The  truth  is,  the  crook  in  the 
lot  is  the  great  engine  of  Providence  for  making 
men  appear  in  their  true  colours,  discovering  both 
their  ill  and  their  good ;  and  if  the  grace  of  God 
be  in  them,  it  will  bring  it  out,  and  cause  it  to  dis- 
play itself.  It  so  puts  the  Christian  to  his  shifts, 
that  however  it  makes  him  stagger  for  a  while,  yet 
it  will  at  length  evidence  both  the  reality  and  the 
strength  of  grace  in  him.  "  Ye  are  in  heaviness 
through  manifold  temptations,  that  the  trial  of  your 
faith,  being  much  more  precious  than  of  gold  that 
perisheth,  may  be  found  unto  praise."  1  Pet.  i.  6, 
7.  The  crook  in  the  lot  gives  rise  to  many  acts  of 
faith,  hope,  love,  self-denial,  resignation,  and  other 
graces ;  to  many  heavenly  breathings,  pantings, 
and  groanings,  which  otherwise  would  not  be 
brought  forth.  And  I  make  no  question  but  these 
things,  however  by  carnal  men  despised  as  trifling, 
are  more  precious  in  the  sight  of  God  than  even 
believers  themselves  are  aware  of,  being  acts  of 
immediate  internal  worsliip  ;  and  will  have  a  sur- 
prising notice  taken  of  them,  and  of  the  sum  of 
tiicm,  at  long  run,  howbeit  the  persons  themselves 
often  can  hardly  think  them  worth  their  own  no- 
tice at  all.  The  steady  acting  of  a  gallant  army 
of  horse  and  foot  to  the  routing  of  the  enemy,  is 
highly  prized  ;  but  the  acting  of  holy  fear  and 
humble  hope,  is  in  reality  far  more  valuable,  as 
behig  so  in  the  sight  of  God,  whose  judgment,  we 
are  sure,  is  according  to  truth.    This  the  Psalmist 


^6  THE   EXERCISE  OF  GRACE. 

teacheth.  Psal.  cxlvii.  10,11.  "He  delighteth 
not  in  the  strength  of  the  horse  ;  he  taketh  not 
pleasure  in  the  legs  of  a  man.  The  Lord  taketh 
pleasure  in  them  that  fear  him,  in  those  that  hope 
in  his  mercy."  And  indeed  the  exercise  of  the 
graces  of  his  Spirit  in  his  people,  is  so  very  pre- 
cious in  his  sight,  that  whatever  grace  any  of  them 
excel  in,  they  will  readily  get  such  a  crook  made 
in  their  lot  as  will  be  a  special  trial  of  it,  that  will 
make  a  proof  of  its  full  strength.  Abraham  ex- 
celled in  the  grace  of  faith,  in  trusting  God's  bare 
word  of  promise  above  the  dictates  of  sense  :  and 
God,  giving  him  a  promise,  that  he  would  make  of 
him  a  great  nation,  made  withal  a  crook  in  his  lot, 
by  which  he  had  enough  ado  with  all  the  strength 
of  his  faith  ;  while  he  was  obliged  to  leave  his 
country  and  kindred,  and  sojourn  among  the  Ca- 
naanites  ;  his  wife  continuing  barren,  till  past  the 
age  of  child-bearing :  and  when  she  had  at  length 
brought  forth  Isaac,  and  he  was  grown  up,  he  was 
called  to  offer  him  up  for  a  burnt-offering,  the  more 
exquisite  trial  of  his  faith,  that  Ishmael  was  now 
expelled  his  family,  and  that  it  was  declared.  That 
in  Isaac  only  his  seed  should  be  called.  Gen.  xxi. 
12.  "Moses  was  very  meek  above  all  the  men 
which  were  upon  the  face  of  the  earth."  Numb, 
xii.  3.  And  he  was  intrusted  with  the  conduct  of 
a  most  perverse  and  unmanageable  people,  the 
crook  in  his  lot  plainly  designed  for  the  exercise 
of  his  meekness.  Job  excelled  in  patience,  and 
by  the  crook  in  his  lot,  he  got  as  much  to  do  with 
it.     For  God  gives  none  of  his  people  to  excel  Iq 


THE  DOCTRINE  APPLIED.  47 

a  gift,  but  some  time  or  other  he  will  afford  them 
use  for  the  whole  compass  of  it. 

Now,  the  use  of  this  doctrine  is  threefold.  (1.) 
For  reproof.  (2.)  For  consolation.  And  (3.)  For 
exhortation. 

Use  1.  For  reproof.  And  it  meets  with  three 
sorts  of  persons  as  reprovable. 

First,  The  carnal  and  earthly,  who  do  not  with 
awe  and  reverence  regard  the  crook  in  their  lot  as 
of  God's  making.  There  is  certainly  a  signature 
of  the  divine  hand  upon  it  to  be  perceived  by  just 
observers  ;  and  that  challengcth  an  awful  regard, 
the  neglect  of  which  forbodes  destruction,  Psal. 
xxviii.  5,  "  Because  they  regard  not  the  works  of 
the  Lord,  nor  the  operation  of  his  hands,  he  shall 
destroy  them,  and  not  build  them  up."  And  herein 
they  are  deeply  guilty,  who,  poring  upon  second 
causes,  and  looking  no  further  than  the  unhappy 
instruments  of  the  crOok  in  their  lot,  overlook  the 
first  cause,  as  a  dog  snarls  at  the  stone,  but  looks 
not  to  the  hand  that  casts  it.  This  is,  in  effect,  to 
make  a  God  of  the  creature  ;  so  regarding  it,  as  if 
it  could  of  itself  effect  any  thing,  while  in  the 
mean  time,  it  is  but  an  instrument  in  the  hand  of 
God,  "  the  rod  of  his  anger."  Isa.  x.  5.  "  Or- 
dained of  him  for  judgment,  established  for  cor- 
rection." Hab.  i.  12.  O  !  why  should  men  termi- 
nate their  view  on  the  instruments  of  the  crook  in 
their  lot,  and  so  magnify  their  scourges  ?  The 
truth  is,  they  are,  for  the  most  part,  rather  to  be 
pitied,  as  having  an  undesirable  office,  which  for 
their  gratifying  their  own  corrupt   affections,   in 


48  FOR  REPROOF. 

making  the  crook  in  the  lot  of  others,  returns  on 
their  own  head  at  length  with  a  vengeance,  as  did 
"  the  blood  of  Jezreel  on  the  house  of  Jehu."  Hos. 
i.  4.  And  it  is  specially  undesirable  to  be  so  em- 
ployed in  the  case  of  such  as  belong  to  God ;  for 
rarely  is  the  ground  of  the  quarrel  the  same  on  the 
part  of  the  instrument  as  on  God's  part,  but  very 
different ;  witness  Shimei's  cursing  David,  as  a 
bloody  man,  meaning  the  blood  of  the  house  of 
Saul,  which  he  was  not  guilty  of,  while  God  meant 
it  of  the  blood  of  Uriah,  which  he  could  not  deny. 
2  Sam.  xvi.  7,  8.  Moreover,  the  quarrel  wdll  be, 
at  length,  taken  up  between  God  and  his  people  ; 
and  then  their  scourgers  will  find  they  had  but  a 
thankless  office,  Zech.  i.  15.  "I  was  but  a  little 
displeased,  and  they  helped  forward  the  affliction," 
saith  God,  in  resentment  of  the  heathen  crooking 
the  lot  of  his  people.  In  like  manner  are  they 
guilty,  who  impute  the  crook  in  their  lot  to  fortune, 
or  their  ill-luck,  which  in  very  deed  is  nothing  but 
a  creature  of  imagination,  framed  for  a  blind  to 
keep  man  from  acknowledging  the  hand  of  God, 
Thus,  what  the  Philistines  doubted,  they  do  more 
impiously  determine,  saying,  in  effect,  "  It  is  not 
his  hand  that  smote  us,  it  Avas  a  chance  that  hap- 
pened to  us."  1  Sam.  vi.  9.  And,  finally,  those 
also  are  guilty,  who,  in  the  way  of  giving  up  them- 
selves to  carnal  mirth  and  sensuality,  set  them- 
selves to  despise  the  crook  in  their  lot,  to  make 
nothing  of  it,  and  to  forget  it.  I  question  not,  but 
one  committing  his  case  to  the  Lord,  and  looking 
to  him  for  remedy  in  the  first  place,  may  lawfully 


FOR  REPROOF.  49 

call  in  the  moderate  use  of  the  comforts  of  life, 
for  help  in  the  second  place.  But  as  for  that 
course  so  frequent  and  usual  in  this  case  among 
carnal  men,  if  the  crook  of  the  lot  really  be,  as 
indeed  it  is,  of  God's  making,  it  must  needs  be  a 
most  indecent  unbecoming  course,  to  be  abhorred 
of  all  good  men,  Prov.  iii.  11.  "My  son,  despise 
not  the  chastening  of  the  Lord."  It  is  surely  a 
very  desperate  method  of  cure,  which  cannot  miss 
of  issuing  in  something  worse  than  the  disease, 
however  it  may  palliate  it  for  a  while,  Isa.  xxii. 
12 — 14.  "  In  that  day  did  the  Lord  God  of  hosts 
call  to  weeping  and  to  mourning,  and  behold  joy 
and  gladness,  eating  flesh  and  drinking  wine  :  and 
it  was  revealed  in  mine  ears,  by  the  Lord  of  hosts, 
Surely  this  iniquity  shall  not  be  purged  from  you 
till  ye  die." 

Secondly,  The  unsubmissive,  whose  hearts, 
like  the  troubled  sea,  swell  and  boil,  fret  and  mur- 
mur, and  cannot  be  at  rest  under  the  crook  in  their 
lot.  This  is  a  most  sinful  and  dangerous  course. 
The  apostle  Jude,  characterising  some,  "  to  whom 
is  reserved  the  blackness  of  darkness  for  ever," 
ver.  13.  saith  of  them,  ver,  16.  "These  are  mur- 
murers,  complainers,"  namely,  still  complaining  of 
their  lot,  which  is  the  import  of  the  word  there 
used  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  For,  since  the  crook  in 
their  lot,  which  their  unsubdued  spirits  can  by  no 
means  submit  to,  is  of  God's  making,  this  their 
practice  must  needs  be  a  fighting  against  God : 
and  these  their  complainings  and  murmurings  are 
indeed  against  him,  whatever  face  they  put  upon 

5 


60  FOR    REPROOF 

them.  Thus  when  the  Israelites  murmur  against 
Moses,  Numb.  xi\^,  2.  God  charges  them  with 
murmuring  against  himself.  "  How  long  shall  1 
bear  with  this  evil  congregation,  which  murmured 
against  me  ?"  ver.  27.  Ah  !  may  not  he  who  made 
and  fashioned  us  without  our  advice,  be  allowed 
to  make  our  lot  too,  without  asking  our  mind,  but 
we  must  rise  up  against  him  on  account  of  the 
crook  made  in  it  ?  What  doth  this  speak,  but  that 
the  proud  creature  cannot  endure  God's  work,  nor 
bear  what  he  hath  done  ?  And  how  black  and  dan- 
gerous is  that  temper  of  spirit !  How  is  it  possible 
to  miss  of  being  broken  to  pieces  in  such  a  course  ? 
"  He  is  wise  in  heart,  and  mighty  in  strength : 
who  hath  hardened  himself  against  him,  and  hath 
prospered?"  Job.  ix.  4. 

Thirdly,  The  careless  and  unfruitful,  who  do 
not  set  themselves  dutifully  to  comply  with  the 
design  of  the  crook  in  the  lot.  God  and  nature  do 
nothing  in  vain.  Since  he  makes  the  crook,  there 
is,  doubtless  a  becoming  design  in  it,  which  we 
are  obliged  in  duty  to  fall  in  with,  according  to 
that,  Micah.  vi.  9.  "  Hear  ye  the  rod."  And,  in- 
deed, if  one  shut  not  his  own  eyes,  but  be  willing 
to  understand,  he  may  easily  perceive  the  general 
design  thereof  to  be,  to  wean  him  from  this  world, 
and  move  him  to  seek  and  take  up  his  heart's  rest 
in  God.  And  nature  and  the  circumstances  of  the 
crook  itself  being  duly  considered,  it  will  not  be 
very  hard  to  make  a  more  particular  discovery  of 
the  design  thereof.  But,  alas !  the  careless  sin- 
ner, sunk  in  spiritual  sloth  and  stupidity,  is  in  no 


FOR    CONSOLATION.  51 

concern  to  discover  the  design  of  Providence  in 
the  crook  ;  so  he  cannot  fall  in  with  it,  but  remains 
uiilruiiful ;  and  all  the  pains  taken  on  him,  by  the 
great  Husbandman,  in  the  dispensation,  are  lost. 
"  They  cry  out  by  reason  of  the  arm  of  the 
mighty  ;"  groaning  under  the  pressure  of  the  crook 
itself,  and  weight  of  the  hand  of  the  instrument 
thereof:  "But  none  sailh,  Where  is  God  my 
Maker  ?"  they  look  not,  they  turn  not  unto  God  for 
all  that,  Job  xxxv.  9,  10. 

Use  2.  For  consolation.  It  speaks  comfort  to 
the  afflicted  children  of  God.  Whatever  is  the 
crook  in  your  lot,  it  is  of  God's  making,  and  there- 
fore you  may  look  upon  it  kindly.  Since  it  is 
your  Father  has  made  it  for  you,  question  not  but 
there  is  a  favourable  design  in  it  towards  you.  A 
discreet  child  welcomes  his  father's  rod,  knowing 
that  being  a  father  he  seeks  his  benefit  thereby  ; 
and  shall  not  God's  children  welcome  the  crook 
in  their  lot,  as  designed  by  their  Father,  who  can- 
not mistake  his  measures,  to  work  for  their  good, 
according  to  the  promise  ?  The  truth  is,  the  crook 
in  the  lot  of  a  believer,  how  painful  soever  it 
proves,  is  a  part  of  the  discipline  of  the  covenant, 
the  nurture  secured  to  Christ's  children,  by  the 
promise  of  the  Father,  Psal.  Ixxxix.  30,  32.  "  If 
his  children  forsake  my  law,  and  walk  not  in  my 
judgments,  then  will  1  visit  their  transgressions 
with  the  rod."  Furthermore,  all  who  are  disposed 
to  betake  themselves  to  God  under  the  crook  in 
their  lot,  may  take  comfort  in  this,  let  them  know 
that  there  is  no  crook  in  their  lot  but  may  be  made 


52  FOR    EXHORTATION. 

Straight ;  for  God  made  it,  surely  then  he  can  mend 
it.  He  himself  can  make  straight  what  he  hath 
made  crooked,  though  none  other  can.  There  is 
nothing  too  hard  for  him  to  do  :  "  He  raiseth  up 
the  poor  out  of  the  dust,  and  lifteth  the  needy  out 
of  the  dunghill ;  that  he  may  set  him  with  princes. 
He  maketh  the  barren  woman  to  keep  house,  and 
to  be  a  joyful  mother  of  children."  Psal.  cxiii.  7 — 
9.  Say  not  that  your  crook  hath  been  of  so  long 
continuance,  that  it  will  never  mend.  Put  it  in 
the  hand  of  God,  who  made  it,  that  he  may  mend 
it,  and  wait  on  him :  and  if  it  be  for  your  good, 
that  it  should  be  mended,  it  shall  be  mended ;  for 
"  no  crood  thincf  will  he  withhold  from  them  that 
walk  uprightly."  Psal.  Ixxxiv.  11. 

Use  last,  For  exhortation.  Since  the  crook  in 
the  lot  is  of  God's  making,  then,  eyeing  the  hand 
of  God  in  yours,  be  reconciled  to  it,  and  submit 
under  it  whatever  it  is  ;  I  say,  eyeing  the  hand  of 
God  in  it,  for  otherwise  your  submission  under  the 
crook  in  your  lot  cannot  be  a  Christian  submission, 
acceptable  to  God,  having  no  reference  to  him  as 
your  party  in  the  matter. 

Object.  I.  But  some  will  say,  "  The  crook  in 
my  lot  is  from  the  hand  of  the  creature  ;  and  such 
a  one  too  as  I  deserved  no  such  treatment  from." 

Ans.  From  what  hath  been  already  said,  it  ap- 
pears that,  although  the  crook  in  thy  lot  be  indeed 
immediately  from  the  creature's  hand,  yet  it  is 
mediately  from  the  hand  of  God  ;  there  being  no- 
thing of  that  kind,  no  penal  evil,  but  the  Lord  hath 
done   it.      Therefore,  without  all  peradventure, 


OBJECTIONS    ANSWERED.  53 

God  himself  is  the  principul  party,  whoever  be 
the  less  principal.  And  albeit  thou  hast  not  de- 
served thy  crook  at  the  hand  of  the  instrument 
which  he  makes  use  of  for  thy  correction,  thou 
certainly  deservest  it  at  his  hand  ;  and  he  may 
make  use  of  what  instrument  he  will  in  the  mat- 
ter, or  may  do  it  immediately  by  himself,  even  as 
seems  good  in  his  sight. 

Object.  II.  "  But  the  crook  in  my  lot  might 
quickly  be  evened,  if  the  instrument  or  instruments 
thereof  pleased ;  only  there  is  no  dealing  with 
them,  so  as  to  convince  them  of  their  fault  in 
making  it." 

Ans.  If  it  is  so,  be  sure  God's  time  is  not  as  yet 
come,  that  the  crook  should  be  made  even  ;  for,  if 
it  were  come,  though  they  stand  now  like  an  im- 
pregnable fort,  they  would  give  way  like  a  sandy 
bank  under  one's  feet :  they  should  bow  down  to 
thee  with  their  lace  towards  the  earth,  and  lick  up 
the  dust  of  thy  feet."  Isa.  xlix.  23.  Meanwhile, 
that  state  of  the  matter  is  so  far  from  justifying 
one's  not  eyeing  the  hand  of  God  in  the  crook  in. 
the  lot,  that  it  makes  a  piece  of  trial  in  which  his 
hand  very  eminently  appears,  namely,  that  men 
should  be  signally  injurious  and  burdensome  to 
others,  yet  by  no  means  susceptible  of  conviction. 
This  was  the  trial  of  the  church  from  her  adver- 
saries, Jer.  1.  7.  "  All  that  found  them  have  de- 
voured them  ;  and  their  adversaries  said.  We  of- 
fend not :  because  they  have  sinned  against  the 
Lord,  the  habitation  of  justice."  They  were  very 
abusive,  and  gave  her  barbarous  usage ;  yet  would 

5* 


54  OBJECTIONS    ANSWERED. 

they  o\vn  no  fault  in  the  matter.  How  could  they 
ward  off  the  conviction  ?  Were  they  verily  blame- 
less in  their  devouring  the  Lord's  stra}dng  sheep  ? 
No,  surely,  they  were  not.  Did  they  look  upon 
themselves  as  ministers  of  the  divine  justice 
against  her  ?     No,  they  did  not. 

Some  indeed  would  make  a  question  here,  How 
the  adversaries  of  the  church  could  celebrate  her 
God  as  the  habitation  of  justice  ?  But  the  origi- 
nal pointing  of  the  text  being  retained,  it  appears, 
that  there  is  no  ground  at  all  for  this  question  here, 
and  withal  the  whole  matter  is  set  in  a  clear  light. 
"  All  that  found  them  have  devoured  them ;  and 
their  adversaries  said.  We  offend  ^not;  because 
they  have  sinned  against  the  Lord,  the  habitation 
of  justice."  These  last  are  not  the  words  of  the 
adversaries,  but  the  words  of  the  prophet  showing 
how  it  came  to  pass  that  the  adversaries  devoured 
the  Lord's  sheep,  as  they  lighted  on  them,  and 
withal  stood  to  the  defence  of  it,  when  they  had 
done,  far  from  acknowledging  any  wrong :  the 
matter  lay  here,  the  sheep  had  sinned  against  the 
Lord,  the  habitation  of  justice  ;  and  as  a  just  pun- 
ishment hereof  from  his  hand,  they  could  have  no 
iustice  at  the  hand  of  their  adversaries. 

Wherefore,  laying  aside  these  frivolous  preten- 
ces, and  eyeing  the  hand  of  God,  as  that  which 
hath  bowed  your  lot  in  that  part,  and  keeps  it  in 
the  bow,  be  reconciled  to,  and  submit  under  the 
crook,  whatever  it  is,  saying  from  the  heart, 
♦'  Truly  this  is  a  grief,  and  I  must  bear  it."  Jer. 
X.  19.     And  to  move  you  hereunto,  consider. 


SUBMISSION    ENFORCED.  55 

1.  It  is  a  duty  you  owe  to  God,  as  your  sover- 
e'\fm  Lord  and  Benefactor.  His  sovereignty  chal- 
lenges  our  submission  ;  and  it  can  in  no  case  be 
meanness  of  spirit  to  submit  to  the  crook  which 
his  hand  hath  made  in  our  lot,  and  to  2^0  quietly 
under  the  yoke  that  he  hath  laid  on ;  but  it  is  real- 
ly madness  for  the  potsherds  of  the  earth,  by  their 
turbulent  and  refractory  carriage  under  it,  to  strive 
with  their  Maker.  And  his  beneficence  to  us,  ill- 
dcscrving  creatures,  may  well  stop  our  mouth  from 
complaining  of  his  making  a  crook  in  our  lot,  who 
would  have  done  us  no  wrong  had  he  made  the 
whole  of  it  crooked :  "  Shall  we  receive  good  at 
the  hand  of  God,  and  shall  we  not  receive  evil  ?" 
Job  ii.  10. 

2.  It  is  an  unalterable  statute,  for  the  time  of 
this  life,  that  nobody  shall  want  a  crook  in  their 
lot ;  for  "  man  is  born  unto  trouble  as  the  sparks 
fly  upward."  Job  v.  7.  And  those  who  are  de- 
signed for  heaven,  are  in  a  special  manner  assured 
of  a  crook  in  theirs,  "  that  in  the  world  thev  shall 
have  tribulation,"  John  xvi.  33 ;  for  by  means 
thereof  the  Lord  makes  them  meet  for  heaven. 
And  how  can  you  imagine  that  you  shall  ibe  ex- 
empted from  the  common  lot  of  mankind  ?  "  Shall 
the  rock  be  removed  out  of  his  place  for  thee  ?" 
And  since  God  makes  the  crooks  in  men's  lot  ac- 
cording to  the  different  exigence  of  their  cases, 
you  may  be  sure  that  yours  is  necessary  for  you. 

3.  A  crook  in  the  lot,  which  one  can  by  no 
means  submit  to,  makes  a  condition  of  all  things 
the  likest  to  that  in  hell.    For  there  a  yoke,  which 


56  SUBMISSION    ENFORCED. 

the  wretched  sufferers  can  neither  bear  nor  shake 
off,  is  wreathed  about  their  necks  ;  there  the  Al- 
mighty arm  draws  against  them,  and  they  against 
it ;  there  they  are  ever  suffering  and  ever  sinning  ; 
still  in  the  furnace,  but  their  dross  not  consumed, 
nor  they  purified.  Even  such  is  the  case  of  those 
who  now  cannot  submit  to  the  crook  in  their  lot. 

4.  Great  is  the  loss  by  not  submitting  to  it. 
The  crook  in  the  lot,  rightly  improved,  has  turned 
to  the  best  account,  and  made  the  best  time  to 
some  that  ever  they  had  all  their  life  long,  as  the 
Psalmist  from  his  own  experience  testifies,  Psal. 
cxix.  67.  "  Before  I  was  afflicted  I  went  astray ; 
but  now  have  I  kept  thy  word."  There  are  many 
now  in  heaven,  who  are  blessing  God  for  the  crook 
they  had  in  their  lot  here.  What  a  sad  thing  must 
it  then  be  to  lose  this  teeth-wind  for  ImmanueFs 
land  !  But  if  the  crook  in  thy  lot  do  thee  no  good, 
be  sure  it  will  not  miss  of  doing  thee  great  damage  ; 
it  will  greatly  increase  thy  guilt  and  aggravate  thy 
condemnation,  while  it  shall  for  ever  cut  thee  to 
the  heart,  to  think  of  the  pains  taken  by  means  of 
the  crook  in  the  lot,  to  wean  thee  from  the  world, 
and  bring  thee  to  God,  but  all  in  vain.  Take  heed, 
therefore,  how  you  manage  it,  "  Lest — thou  mourn 
at  the  last — and  say,  How  have  I  hated  instruction, 
and  ray  heart  despised  reproof!"  Prov.  v.  10 — 12. 

Prop.  II.  What  God  sees  meet  to  mar^  we  shall 
not  he  able  to  mend  in  our  lot.  What  crook  God 
makes  in  our  lot,  we  shall  not  he  able  to  even. — 
We  shall, 


god's  hand  to  be  acknowledged.        57 

I.  Show  God's  marring  and  making  a  crook  in 
one's  lot,  as  he  sees  meet. 

II.  We  shall  consider  men's  attempting  to  mend 
or  even  that  crook  in  their  lot. 

III.  In  what  sense  it  is  to  be  understood,  that 
we  shall  not  be  able  to  mend,  or  even  the  crook  ia 
our  lot. 

IV.  Render  some  reasons  of  the  point. 

I.  As  to  the  first  head,  namely,  to  show  God's 
marring  and  making  a  crook  in  one's  lot,  as  he 
sees  meet. 

First,  God  keeps  the  choice  of  every  one's  crook 
to  himself;  and  therein  he  exerts  his  sovereignty, 
Math.  XX.  15.  It  is  not  left  to  our  option  what  that 
crook  shall  be,  or  what  our  peculiar  burden ;  but, 
as  the  potter  makes  of  the  same  clay  one  vessel  for 
one  use,  another  for  another  use  ;  so  God  makes 
one  crook  for  one,  another  for  another,  according 
to  his  own  will  and  pleasure,  Psal.  cxxxv.  6. 
"  Whatsoever  the  Lord  pleased,  that  did  he,  in 
heaven  and  in  earth,"  Sic. 

Secondly,  He  sees  and  observes  the  bias  of  every 
one's  will  and  inclination,  how  it  lies,  and  wherein 
it  especially  bends  away  from  himself,  and  conse- 
quently wherein  it  needs  the  special  bow ;  so  he 
did  in  that  man's  case,  Mark  x.  21.  "One  thing 
thou  lackest ;  go  thy  way,  sell  whatsoever  thou 
hast,  and  give  to  the  poor,"  &c.  Observe  the  bent 
of  his  heart  to  his  ijreat  possessions.  He  takes 
notice  what  is  that  idol  that  in  every  one's  case  is 


58        OUR  WILL  OFTEN  OPPOSED  TO  HIS  WILL. 

most  apt  to  be  his  rival,  that  so  he  may  suit  the 
trial  to  the  case,  making  the  crook  there. 

Thirdly,  By  the  conduct  of  his  providence,  or  a 
touch  of  his  hand,  he  gives  that  part  of  one's  lot  a 
bow  the  contrary  way  ;  so  that  henceforth  it  lies 
quite  contrary  to  the  bias  of  the  party's  will,  Ezek. 
xxiv.  25.  And  here  the  trial  is  made,  the  bent  of 
the  will  lying  one  way,  and  that  part  of  one's  lot 
another,  that  it  does  not  answer  the  inclination  of 
the  party,  but  thwarts  it. 

Fourthly.  He  wills  that  crook  in  the  lot  to  remain 
while  he  sees  meet,  for  a  longer  or  shorter  time, 
just  according  to  the  holy  ends  he  designs  it  for, 
2  Sam.  xii.  10.  Hos.  v.  15.  By  that  will  it  is  so 
fixed,  that  the  whole  creation  cannot  alter  it,  or  put 
it  out  of  the  bow. 

11.  We  shall  consider  men's  attempting  to  mend 
or  even  that  crook  in  their  lot.  This,  in  a  word, 
lies  in  their  making  efforts  to  bring  their  lot  in  that 
point  to  their  own  will,  that  they  may  both  go  one 
way ;  so  it  imports  three  things  : 

First.  A  certain  uneasiness  under  the  crook  in 
the  lot ;  it  is  a  yoke  which  is  hard  for  the  party  to 
bear,  till  his  spirit  be  tamed  and  subdued,  Jer,  xxxi. 
18.  "Thou  hast  chastised  me,  and  I  was  chas- 
tised, as  a  bullock  unaccustomed  to  the  yoke  ;  turn 
thou  me,  and  I  shall  be  turned,"  &c.  And  it  is 
for  the  breaking  down  of  the  weight  of  one's  spirit 
that  God  lays  it  on  :  for  which  cause  it  is  declared 
to  be  a  good  thing  to  bear  it,  Lara.  iii.  27,  that 
being  the  way  to  make  one  at  length  as  a  weaned 
child. 


BUCK  OPPOSITION  VAIN  AND  FRUITLESS.        59 

Secondly.  A  strong  desire  to  have  the  cross  re- 
moved, and  to  have  matters  in  that  part  going  ac- 
cording to  our  inclinations.  This  is  very  natural, 
nature  desiring  to  be  freed  from  every  thing  that  is 
burdensome  or  cross  to  it ;  and  if  that  desire  be 
kept  in  a  due  subordination  to  the  will  of  God,  and 
It  be  not  too  peremptory,  it  is  not  sinful,  Matt.  xxvi. 
39.  "  If  it  be  possible,  let  this  cup  pass  from  me  ; 
nevertheless,  not  as  I  will,"  Sic.  Hence  so  many 
accepted  prayers  of  the  people  of  God,  for  the  re- 
moval of  the  crook,  in  their  lot. 

Thirdly.  An  earnest  use  of  means  for  that  end. 
This  naturally  follows  on  that  desire.  The  man 
being  pressed  with  the  cross,  which  is  in  his  crook, 
labours  all  he  can  in  the  use  of  means  to  be  rid  of 
it.  And  if  the  means  used  be  lawful,  and  not  re- 
lied upon,  but  followed  with  an  eye  to  God  in  them, 
the  attempt  is  not  sinful,  whether  he  succeed  in 
the  use  of  them  or  not. 

III.  In  what  sense  it  is  to  be  understood,  that 
we  shall  not  be  able  to  mend  or  even  the  crook  in 
our  lot. 

It  is  not  to  be  understood,  as  if  the  case  were 
absolutely  hopeless,  and  that  there  is  no  remedy 
for  the  crook  in  the  lot.  P^or  there  is  no  case  so 
desperate,  but  God  may  right  it.  Gen.  xviii.  14. 
"  Is  any  thing  too  hard  for  the  Lord?"  When  the 
crook  has  continued  long,  and  spurned  all  reme- 
dies one  has  used  for  it,  one  is  ready  to  lose  hope 
about  it ;  but  many  a  crook,  given  over  for  hope- 
less that  would  never  mend,  God  has  made  per- 
fectly straight,  as  in  Job's  case. 


60        SUCH  OPPOSITION  VAIN  AND  FRUITLESS. 

But  we  shall  never  be  able  to  mend  it  by  our- 
selves ;  if  the  Lord  himself  take  it  not  in  hand  to 
remove  it,  it  will  stand  before  us  immovable,  like 
a  mountain  of  brass,  though  perhaps  it  may  be  in 
itself  a  thing  that  might  easily  be  removed.  We 
take  it  up  in  these  three  things  : 

1.  It  will  never  do  by  the  mere  force  of  our 
hand.  1  Sam.  ii.  9. — "  For,  by  strength  shall  no 
man  prevail."  The  most  vigorous  endeavours  we 
can  use  will  not  even  the  crook,  if  God  give  it  not 
a  touch  of  his  hand ;  so  that  all  endeavours  that 
way,  without  an  eye  to  God,  are  vain  and  fruitless, 
and  will  be  but  ploughing  on  the  rock,  Psalm 
cxxvii.  1,  2. 

2.  The  use  of  all  allowable  means  for  it,  will  be 
successless  unless  the  Lord  bless  them  for  that 
end.  Lam.  iii.  37.  "  Who  is  he  that  saith,  and  it 
Cometh  to  pass,  when  the  Lord  commandeth  it 
not  ?"  As  one  may  eat  and  not  be  satisfied,  so  one 
may  use  means  proper  for  evening  the  crook  in  his 
lot,  and  yet  prevail  nothing ;  for  nothing  can  be  or 
do  for  us  any  more  than  God  makes  it  to  be  or  do, 
Eccl.  ix.  11.  "The  race  is  not  to  the  swift,  nor 
the  battle  to  the  strong ;  neither  yet  bread  to  the 
wise,  nor  yet  riches  to  men  of  understanding,"  &c. 

3.  It  will  never  do  in  our  time,  but  in  God's  time, 
which  seldom  is  so  early  as  ours,  John  vii.  6.  "My 
time  is  not  yet  come,  but  your  time  is  always  ready." 
Hence  that  crook  remains  sometimes  immovable, 
as  if  it  were  kept  by  an  invisible  hand  ;  and  at 
another  time  it  goes  away  with  a  touch,  because 
God's  time  is  come  for  evening  it. 


REASONS    ASSIGNED    FOR    THIS.  61 

IV.  We  shall  now  assign  the  reasons  of  the  point. 

1st.  Because  of  the  absohite  dependence  we  have 
upon  God.  Acts  xvii.  28.  As  the  light  depends 
on  the  sun,  or  the  shadow  on  the  body,  so  we  de- 
pend on  God,  and  without  him  can  do  nothing, 
great  or  small.  And  God  will  have  us  to  fmd  it  so, 
to  teach  us  our  dependence. 

2dly.  Because  his  will  is  irresistible,  Isa.  xlvi. 
10.  "My  counsel  shall  stand,  and  I  will  do  all 
my  pleasure."  When  God  wills  one  thing,  and  the 
creature  the  contrary,  it  is  easy  to  see  which  will 
must  be  done.  When  the  omnipotent  arm  holds, 
in  vain  does  the  creature  draw,  Job  ix.  4.  "  Who 
hath  hardened  himself  against  him  and  prospered  ?" 

Inference  1.  There  is  a  necessity  of  yielding 
and  submitting  to  the  crook  in  our  lot ;  for  we  may 
as  well  think  to  remove  the  rocks  and  mountains, 
which  God  has  settled,  as  to  make  that  part  of  our 
lot  straight  which  he  hath  made  crooked. 

2.  The  evening  of  the  crook  in  our  lot,  by  maia 
force  of  our  own,  is  but  a  cheat  we  put  on  ourselves, 
and  will  not  last,  but,  like  a  stick  by  main  force 
made  straight,  it  will  quickly  return  to  the  bow 
again. 

3.  The  only  effectual  way  of  getting  the  crook 
evened,  is  to  aj)ply  to  God  for  it. 

Exhortation  1 .  Let  us  then  apply  to  God  for  re- 
moving any  crook  in  our  lot,  that  in  the  settled  or- 
der of  things  may  be  removed.  Men  cannot  cease 
to  desire  the  removal  of  a  crook,  more  than  that  of 
a  thorn  in  the  flesh  :  but,  since  we  are  not  able  to 
mend  what  Gotl  sees  meet  to  mar,  it  is  evident  we 

6 


62  MOTIVES    TO    INDUCE    SUBMISSION. 

are  to  apply  to  him  that  made  it  to  amend  it,  and 
not  take  the  evening  of  it  in  our  own  hand. 

Motive  1.  All  our  attempts  for  its  removal  will, 
without  him,  be  vain  and  fruitless.  Psal.  cxxvii.  1. 
Let  us  be  as  resolute  as  we  will  to  have  it  evened, 
if  God  say  it  not,  we  will  labour  in  vain.  Lam.  iii. 
37.  Howsoever  fair  the  means  we  use  bid  for  it, 
they  will  be  ineffectual  if  he  command  not  the 
blessing.  Eccl.  ix.  11. 

2.  Such  attempts  will  readily  make  it  worse. 
Nothing  is  more  ordinary,  than  for  a  proud  spirit 
striving  with  the  crook,  to  make  it  more  crooked, 
Eccl.  X.  8,  9.  "  Whoso  breaketh  a  hedge,  a  ser- 
pent shall  bite  him.  Whoso  removeth  stones,  shall 
be  hurt  therewith,"  &c.  This  is  evident  in  the 
case  of  the  murmurers  in  the  wilderness.  It  na- 
turally comes  to  be  so ;  because,  at  that  rate,  the 
will  of  the  party  bends  farther  away  from  it :  and, 
moreover,  God  is  provoked  to  wreath  the  yoke  faster 
about  one's  neck,  that  he  will  by  no  means  let  it 
sit  easy  on  him. 

3.  There  is  no  crook  but  what  may  be  remedied 
by  him,  and  made  perfectly  straight,  Psal.  cxlvi.  8. 
"  The  Lord  raiseth  them  that  are  bowed  down,"  &c. 
He  can  perform  that,  concerning  which  there  re- 
mains no  hope  with  us,  Rom.  iv.  17.  "  Who  quick- 
eneth  the  dead,  and  calleth  those  things  which  be 
not  as  though  they  were  ?"  It  is  his  prerogative 
to  do  wonders  ;  to  begin  a  work,  where  the  whole 
creation  gives  it  over  as  hopeless,  and  carry  it  oil 
to  perfection.  Gen.  x^'iii.  14. 

4.  He  loves  to  be  employed  in  evening  crooks, 


MOTIVES    TO    INDUCE    SUBMISSION.  G3 

and  calls  us  to  employ  him  that  way,  Psal.  1.  15. 
"  Call  upon  me  in  the  day  of  trouble,  and  I  will 
deliver  thee,"  &c.  He  makes  them  for  that  very 
end,  that  he  may  bring  us  to  him  on  that  errand, 
and  may  manifest  his  power  and  goodness  in  even- 
in(T  of  them.  Hos.  v.  15.  The  straits  of  the  chil- 
dren  of  men  afford  a  large  field  for  displaying  his 
glorious  perfections,  which  otherwise  would  be 
wanting.  Exod.  xv.  11. 

5.  A  crook  thus  evened  is  a  double  mercy. 
There  are  some  crooks  evened  by  a  touch  of  the 
hand  of  common  providence,  while  people  are  either 
not  exercised  about  them,  or  when  they  fret  for 
their  removal ;  these  are  sapless  mercies,  and  short- 
lived. Psal.  Ixxviii.  30,  31.  Hos.  xiii.  11.  Fruits 
thus  too  hastily  plucked  off  the  tree  of  providence 
can  hardly  miss  to  set  the  teeth  on  edge,  and  will 
certainly  be  bitter  to  the  gracious  soul.  But  O  the 
sweets  of  the  evening  of  the  crook  by  a  humble 
application  to,  and  waiting  on  the  Lord  !  It  has  the 
image  and  superscription  of  divine  favour  upon  it, 
which  makes  it  bulky  and  valuable,  Gen.  xxxiii.  10. 
"  For  therefore  I  have  seen  thy  face,  as  though  I 
had  seen  the  face  of  God,"  &;c.  chap.  xxi.  6. 

6.  God  has  signalized  his  favour  to  his  dearest 
children,  in  making  and  mending  notable  crooks  in 
their  lot.  His  darling  ones  ordinarily  have  the 
greatest  crooks  made  in  their  lot.  Heb.  xii.  6.  But 
then  they  make  way  for  their  richest  experiences  in 
the  removal  of  them,  upon  their  application  to  him. 
This  is  clear  from  the  case  of  Abraham,  Jacob,  and 
Joseph.     Which   of  the  patriarchs  had  so  great 


64  OBJECTIONS    ANSWERED. 

crooks  as  they  ?  but  which  of  them,  on  the  other 
hand,  had  such  signal  tokens  of  the  divine  favour  ? 
The  greatest  of  men,  as  Samson  and  the  Baptist, 
have  been  born  of  women  naturally  barren ;  so  do 
the  greatest  crooks  issue  in  the  richest  mercies  to 
them  that  are  exercised  thereby. 

7.  It  is  the  shortest  and  surest  way  to  go  straight 
to  God  with  the  crook  in  the  lot.  If  we  would 
have  our  wish  in  that  point,  we  must,  as  the  eagle, 
first  soar  aloft,  and  then  come  down  on  the  prey. 
Mark  v.  36.  Our  faithless  out-of-the-way  attempts 
to  even  the  crook,  are  but  our  fool's  haste,  that  is 
no  speed  ;  as  in  the  case  of  Abraham's  going  in  to 
Hagar.  God  is  the  first  mover,  who  sets  all  the 
wheels  in  motion  for  evening  the  crook,  which 
without  him  will  remain  immovable.  Hos.  ii. 
21,  22. 

Object.  1.  "But  it  is  needless,  for  I  see,  that 
though  the  crook  in  my  lot  may  mend,  yet  it  never 
will  mend.  In  its  own  nature  it  is  capable  of  be- 
ing removed,  but  it  is  plain  it  is  not  to  be  removed, 
it  is  hopeless." 

Ans.  That  is  the  language  of  unbelieving  haste, 
which  faith  and  patience  should  correct.  Psal. 
cxvi.  11,  12.  Abraham  had  as  much  to  say  for 
the  hopelessness  of  his  crook,  but  yet  he  applies 
to  God  in  faith  for  the  mending  of  it.  Rom.  iv.  19, 
20.  Sarah  had  made  such  a  conclusion,  for  which 
she  was  rebuked.  Gen.  xviii.  13, 14.  Nothing  can 
make  it  needless  in  such  a  case  to  apply  to  God. 

Object.  2.  "  But  I  have  applied  to  him  agaia 
and  again  for  it,  yet  it  is  never  mended." 


HOW  TO  GET  THE  CROOK   REMOVED.  65 

Ans.  Delays  are  not  denials  of  suits  at  the  court 
of  heaven,  but  trials  of  the  faith  and  patience  of 
the  petitioners.  And  whoso  will  persevere  will 
certainly  speed  at  length,  Luke  xviii.  7,  8.  "  And 
shall  not  God  avenge  his  own  elect,  which  crv  day 
and  night  unto  him,  though  he  bear  long  with 
them  ?  I  tell  you  that  he  will  avenge  them  speedi- 
ly." Sometimes  indeed  folks  grow  pettish,  in  the 
case  of  the  crook  in  the  lot,  and  let  it  drop  out  in 
their  prayers,  in  a  course  of  despondency,  while 
yet  it  continues  uneasy  to  ihem  ;  but,  if  God  mind 
to  even  it  in  mercy,  he  will  oblige  them  to  take  it 
in  again,  Ezek.  xxxvi.  37.  "  I  will  yet,  for  this,  be 
inquired  of  by  the  house  of  Israel,  to  do  it  for 
them,"  &c.  If  the  removal  come,  while  it  is  dropt, 
there  will  be  little  comfort  in  it :  though  it  were 
never  to  be  removed  while  we  live,  that  should  not 
cut  olT  our  applying  to  God  for  the  removal ;  for 
there  are  many  prayers  not  to  be  answered  till  we 
come  to  the  other  world,  Rom.  vii.  24,  and  there 
all  will  be  answered  at  once. 

Directions  for  rightly  managing  the  application  for 
removing  the  crook  in  the  lot. 

I.  Pray  for  it,  Ezek.  xxxvi.  37.  and  pray  in 
faith,  believing  that,  for  the  sake  of  Jesus,  you 
shall  certainly  obtain  at  length,  and  in  this  life  too, 
if  it  is  good  for  you  ;  but  without  peradventure  in 
the  life  to  come.  Matt.  xxi.  22.  They  will  not  be 
disappointed  that  get  the  song  of  Moses  and  of  the 
Lamb.  Rev.  xv.  iii.     And,  in  some  cases  of  that 

6* 


66  HOW  TO  OBTAIN   RELIEF    UNDER  IT. 

nature,  extraordinary  prayer,  with  fasting,  is  very 
expedient.  Matt.  xvii.  21. 

2.  Humble  yourselves  under  it,  as  the  yoke 
which  the  sovereign  hand  has  laid  on  you,  Micah 
vii.  9.  "  I  will  bear  the  indignation  of  the  Lord, 
because  I  have  sinned  against  him,"  &lc.  Justify 
God,  condemn  3''0urselves,  kiss  the  rod,  and  go 
quietly  under  it ;  this  is  the  most  feasible  way  to 
get  rid  of  it,  the  end  being  obtained.  James  iv.  10. 
"  Thou  wilt  prepare  their  hearts,  thou  wilt  cause 
thine  ear  to  hear.  Psal.  x.  17. 

3.  Wait  on  patiently  till  the  hand  that  made  it 
mend  it.  Psal.  xxvii.  14.  Do  not  give  up  the 
matter  as  hopeless,  because  you  are  not  so  soon 
relieved  as  you  would  wish ;  "  But  let  patience 
have  her  perfect  work,  that  y-e  may  be  perfect  and 
entire,  wanting  nothing."  James  i.  4. — Leave  the 
timing  of  the  deliverance  to  the  Lord ;  his  time 
will  at  length,  to  conviction,  appear  the  best,  and 
it  will  not  go  beyond  it.  Isa.  Ix.  22.  "  I,  the  Lord, 
will  hasten  it  in  his  time  ;"  waiting  on  him,  ye 
will  not  be  disappointed,  "  For  they  shall  not  be 
ashamed  that  wait  for  me."  Isa.  xlix.  23. 

Exhortation  2.  What  crook  there  is,  which,  in 
the  settled  order  of  things,  cannot  be  removed  or 
evened  in  this  v/orld,  let  us  apply  to  God  for  suita- 
ble relief  under  it.  For  instance,  the  common 
crook  in  the  lot  of  saints,  viz.  in-dwelling  sin ;  as 
God  has  made  that  crook  not  to  be  removed  here 
he  can  certainly  balance  it,  and  afford  relief  under 
it.  The  same  is  to  be  said  of  any  crook,  while  it 
remains  unremoved.    In  such  cases  apply  yourself. 


HOW  TO  OBTAIN    RELIEF    UNDER    IT.  67 

to  God,  for  making  up  your  losses  another  way. 
And  there  are  five  things  I  would  have  you  to 
keep  in  view,  and  aim  at  here. 

1.  To  take  God  in  Christ  for,  and  instead  of 
that  thing,  the  withholding  or  taking  away  of  which 
from  you  makes  the  crook  in  your  lot.  Psal.  cxlii. 
4,  5.  There  is  never  a  crook  which  God  makes 
in  our  lot,  but  it  is  in  etfect  heaven's  offer  of  a 
blessed  exchange  to  us;  such  as  Mark  x.  21. 
**  Sell  whatsoever  thou  hast, — and  thou  shalt  have 
treasure  in  heaven."  In  managing  of  which  ex- 
change, God  first  puts  out  his  hand,  and  takes 
away  some  earthly  thing  from  us,  and  it  is  expect- 
ed we  put  out  our  hand  next,  and  take  some  hea- 
venly thing  from  him  in  the  stead  of  it,  and  parti- 
cularly his  Christ.  Wherefore  has  God  emptied 
your  left  hand  of  such  and  such  an  earthly  com- 
fort? Stretch  out  your  right  hand  to  God  in 
Christ,  take  him  in  the  room  of  it,  and  welcome. 
Therefore  the  soul's  closing  with  Christ  is  called 
buying,  wherein  parting  with  one  thing,  we  get 
another  in  its  stead,  Matt.  xiii.  45,  46.  "  The 
kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  unto  a  merchantman 
seeking  goodly  pearls  :  who,  when  he  had  found 
one  pearl  of  great  price,  he  went  and  sold  all  that 
he  had  and  bought  it."  Do  this,  and  you  will  be 
more  than  even  hands  with  the  crook  in  your  lot. 

2.  Look  for  the  stream  running  as  full  from  him 
as  ever  it  did  or  could  run,  when  the  crook  of  the 
lot  has  dried  it.  This  is  the  work  of  faith,  con- 
fidently to  depend  on  God  for  that  which  is  denied 
us  from  the  creature.     "  When  my  father  and  mo- 


68  HOW  TO  OBTAIN    RELIEF    UNDER  IT. 

ther  forsake  me,  then  the  Lord  will  take  me  up." 
Psal.  xxvii.  10.  This  is  a  most  rational  expecta- 
tion :  for  it  is  certain  there  is  no  good  in  the  crea- 
ture  but  what  is  from  God ;  therefore  there  is  no 
good  to  be  found  in  the  creature,  the  stream,  but 
what  may  be  got  immediately  from  God,  the  foun- 
tain. And  it  is  a  welcome  plea,  to  come  to  God 
and  say,  Now,  Lord,  thou  hast  taken  away  from 
me  such  a  creature-comfort,  1  must  have  as  o-ood 
from  thyself. 

3.  Seek  for  the  spiritual  fruits  of  the  crook  in 
the  lot.  Heb.  xii.  IL  We  see  the  way  in  the 
world  is,  when  one  trade  fails,  to  fall  on,  and  drive 
another  trade  ;  so  should  we,  when  there  is  a  crook 
in  the  lot,  making  our  earthly  comforts  low,  set 
ourselves  the  more  for  spiritual  attainments.  If 
our  trade  with  the  world  sinks,  let  us  see  to  drive 
a  trade  with  heaven  more  vigorously ;  see,  if  by 
means  of  the  crook,  we  can  obtain  more  faith, 
love,  heavenly-mindedness,  contempt  of  the  world, 
humility,  self-denial,  &c.  2  Cor.  vi.  10.  So  while 
we  lose  at  one  hand,  we  shall  gain  at  another. 

4.  Grace  to  bear  us  up  under  the  crook,  2  Cor. 
xii.  8,  9.  "  For  this  thing  I  besought  the  Lord 
thrice  ;"  and  he  said,  "  My  grace  is  sufficient  for 
thee."  Whether  a  man  be  faint,  and  have  a  light 
burden,  or  be  refreshed,  and  strengthened,  and 
have  a  heavy  one,  it  is  all  the  same  ;  the  latter 
can  go  as  easy  under  his  burden  as  the  former  un- 
der his.  Grace  proportioned  to  the  trial  is  what 
we  should  aim  at ;  getting  that,  though  the  crook 
be  not  evened,  we  are  even  hands  with  it. 


HOW  TO   BEAK   IT  W  KLL.  69 

5.  The  keeping  in  our  eye  the  eternal  rest  and 
Meight  of  glory  in  the  other  world,  2  Cor.  iv.  17, 
18.  "  For  our  li^ht  allliction,  wliich  is  but  for  a 
moment,  worketh  for  us  a  l':ir  more  exceeding  and 
eternal  weight  of  glory ;  while  we  look  not  at  the 
things  which  are  seen,  but  at  the  things  which  are 
not  seen."  This  will  balance  the  crook  in  your 
lot,  be  it  what  it  will ;  while  they  who  have  no 
well-grounded  hope  of  salvation,  will  find  the 
crook  in  their  lot  in  this  world  such  a  weight,  as 
they  have  nothing  to  counterbalance  it ;  but  the 
hope  of  eternal  rest  may  bear  up  under  all  the  toil 
and  trouble  met  with  here. 

Exhortation  3.  Let  us  then  set  ourselves  rightly 
to  bear  the  crook  in  our  lot,  while  God  sees  meet 
to  continue  it.  What  we  cannot  mend,  let  us  bear 
christianly,  and  not  fight  against  God,  and  so  kick 
against  the  pricks.     So  let  us  bear  it, 

1.  Patiently,  without  fuming  and  fretting,  or 
murmuring,  James,  v.  7.  Psal.  xxxvii.  7.  Though 
we  lose  our  comfort  in  the  creature,  through 
the  crook  in  our  lot,  let  us  not  lose  the  possession 
of  ourselves.  Luke  xxi.  19.  The  crook  in  our 
lot  makes  us  like  one  who  has  but  a  scanty  fire  to 
warm  at :  but  impatience  under  it  scatters  it,  so  as 
to  set  the  house  on  fire  about  us,  and  expose  us  to 
danger.  Prov.  xxv.  28.  "  He  that  hath  no  rule 
over  his  own  spirit,  is  like  a  city  that  is  broken 
down,  and  without  walls." 

2.  With  Christian  fortitude,  without  sinking  un- 
der discouragement — "  nor  faint  when  thou  art  re- 
buked of  him."  Heb.  xii.  5.     Satan's  work  is  by 


70  EXHORTATION    TO    THIS    EFFECT. 

the  crook,  either  to  bend  or  break  people's  spirits, 
and  oftentimes  by  bending  to  break  them  :  our 
work  is  to  carry  evenly  under  it,  steering  a  middle 
course,  guarding  against  splitting  on  the  rocks  on 
either  hand.  Our  happiness  lies  not  in  any  earth- 
ly comfort,  nor  will  the  want  of  any  of  them  ren- 
der us  miserable.  Heb.  iii.  17,  18.  So  that  we  are 
resolutely  to  hold  on  our  way  with  a  holy  contempt, 
and  regardlessness  of  hardships.  Job.  xvii,  9. 
"  The  righteous  also  shall  hold  on  his  way,  and  he 
that  hath  clean  hands  shall  be  stronger  and 
stronger." 

Quest.  "  When  may  any  one  be  reckoned  to  fall 
under  sinking  discouragement  from  the  crook  in 
his  lot?" 

Ans.  When  it  prevails  so  far  as  to  unfit  for  the 
duties,  either  of  our  particular  or  Christian  calling. 
We  may  be  sure  it  has  carried  us  beyond  the 
bounds  of  moderate  grief,  when  it  unfits  us  for  ihe 
common  affairs  of  life,  which  the  Lord  calls  us  to 
manage.  1  Cor.  vii.  24.  Or  for  the  duties  of  re- 
ligion,  hindering  them  altogether.  1  Pet.  iii.  7. 
"  That  your  prayers  be  not  hindered,"  (Greek,  cut 
oflT,  or  cut  up,  like  a  tree  from  the  roots,)  or  making 
one  quite  hopeless  in  them.  Mai.  ii.  13. 

3.  Let  us  bear  it  profitably,  so  as  we  may  gain 
some  advantage  thereby.  Psal.  cxix.  71.  "It  is 
good  for  me  that  I  have  been  afflicted ;  that  I 
might  learn  thy  statutes."  There  is  an  advantage 
to  be  made  thereby,  Rom.  v.  3 — 5.  And  it  is  cer- 
tainly an  ill-managed  crook  in  our  lot,  when  we 
get  not  some  spiritual  good  of  it.  Heb.  xii.  11. 


MOTIVES  TO  PRESS  THIS  EXHORTATION.        71 

The  crook  is  a  kind  of  spiritual  medicine  ;  and  as 
it  is  lost  physic  that  purges  away  no  ill  humours, 
in  vain  are  its  unpleasantness  to  the  taste  and  its 
<rripings  endured  ;  so  it  is  a  lost  crook,  and  ill  is 
(he  biuerness  of  it  borne  if  we  are  not  bettered 
by  it.  Isa.  xxvii.  9.  "  By  this,  therefore,  shall  the 
iniquity  of  Jacob  be  purged,  and  this  is  all  the  fruit, 
to  take  away  his  sin." 

Motives  to  press  this  exhortation. 
Motive  1.  There  will  be  no  evening  of  it  while 
God  sees  meet  to  continue  it.     Let  us  behave  un- 
der it  as  we  will,  and  make  what  sallies  we  please 
in  the  case,  it  will  continue  immoveable,  as  fixed 
with  bands  of  iron  and  brass.  Job.  xxiii.   13,   14. 
"  But  he  is  of  one  mind,   and  who  can  turn  him? 
and   what  his  soul  desireth,  even  that  he    doth. 
For  he  performeth  the  thing  that  is  appointed  for  me ; 
and  many  such  things  are  with  him."    Is  it  not  wis- 
dom then  to  make  the  best  we  may  of  what  we 
cannot  mend  ?     Make  a  virtue  then  of  necessity. 
What  is   not  to  be  cured  must  be  endured,  and 
should,  with  a  Christian  resignation. 

Motive  2.  An  awkward  carriage  under  it  notably 
increases  the  pain  of  it.  What  makes  the  yoke 
gall  our  necks,  but  that  we  struggle  so  much  against 
it,  and  cannot  let  it  set  at  ease  on  us.  Jer.  xxxi.  18 
ilow  often  are  we,  in  that  case,  like  men  dashing 
their  heads  against  a  rock  to  remove  it !  The  rock 
stands  unmoved,  but  they  are  wounded,  and  lose 
exceedingly  by  their  struggle.  Impatience  under 
the  crook  lays  an  over-weight  on  the  burden,  and 


72  QUESTION   ANSWERED. 

makes  it  heavier,  while  withal  it  weakens  ns,  and 
makes  us  less  able  to  bear  it. 

Motive  3.  The  crook  in  thy  lot  is  the  special 
trial  God  has  chosen  for  thee  to  take  thy  measure 
by.  1  Pet.  i.  6,  7.  It  is  God's  fire,  whereby  he 
tries  what  metal  men  are  of;  heaven's  touchstone 
for  discovering  true  and  counterfeit  Christians. 
They  may  bear,  and  go  through  several  trials, 
whom  the  crook  in  the  lot  will  discover  to  be 
naught,  because,  by  no  means  they  can  bear  that. 
Mark.  x.  21,  22.  Think  then  with  thyself  under 
it ;  now,  here  the  trial  of  my  state  turns  ;  I  must, 
by  this,  be  proved  either  sincere,  or  a  hypocrite  ; 
for,  can  any  be  a  cordial  subject  of  Christ,  without 
being  able  to  submit  his  lot  to  him  ?  Do  not  all 
who  sincerely  come  to  Christ,  put  a  blank  in  his 
hand  ?  Acts.  ix.  6.  Psal.  xlvii.  4.  And  does  he 
not  tell  us,  that  without  that  disposition  we  are  not 
his  disciples  ?  Luke  xiv.  26.  "  If  any  man  come 
to  me,  and  hate  not  his  father  and  mother,  and 
wife,  and  children,  and  brethren,  and  sisters,  yea, 
and  his  own  life  also,  he  cannot  be  my  disciple." 
Perhaps  you  find  you  can  submit  to  any  thing  but 
that;  but  will  not  that  hut  mar  all;  Mark  x.  21, 
22,  Did  ever  any  hear  of  a  sincere  closing  with 
Christ  with  a  reserve  or  exception  of  one  thing, 
wherein  they  behooved  to  be  their  own  lords  ? 

Quest.  "  Is  that  disposition  then  a  qualification 
necessarily  pre-required  to  our  believing :  and  if 
so,  where  must  we  have  it  ?  Can  we  work  it  out  of 
our  natural  powers  ?" 

Ans.  No,  it  is  not  so  ;  but  it  necessarily  accora* 


DIFFICULTY    SOLVED.  73 

panics  and  goes  alone  with  believincr,  flowing  from 
the  same  saving  illumination  iii  the  knowledge  of 
Christ,  whereby  the  soul  is  brought  to  believe  on 
him.  Hereby  the  soul  sees  him  an  able  Saviour, 
and  so  trusts  on  him  for  salvation;  the  rightful 
Lord  and  infinitely  wise  Ruler,  and  so  submits  the 
lot  to  him.  Matt.  xiii.  45,  46.  The  soul  taking 
him  for  a  Saviour,  takes  him  also  for  a  head  and 
ruler.  It  is  Christ's  giving  himself  to  us,  and  our 
receiving  him,  that  causes  us  to  quit  other  things 
to  and  for  him,  as  it  is  the  light  that  dispels  the 
darkness. 

Case.  "  Alas !  1  cannot  get  my  heart  freely  to 
submit  my  lot  to  him  in  that  point." 

Ans.  1.  That  submission  will  not  be  carried  on 
in  any  without  a  struggle  ;  the  old  man  will  never 
submit  to  it,  and  when  the  new  man  of  grace  is 
submitting  to  it,  the  old  man  will  still  be  rebelling. 
Gal.  V.  17.  '•  For  the  flesh  lusteth  against  the 
spirit,  and  the  spirit  against  the  flesh.  And  these 
are  contrary,  the  one  to  the  other,  so  that  ye  can- 
not do  the  things  that  ye  would  ;"  but  are  ye  sin- 
cerely desirous  and  habitually  aiming  to  submit  to 
it?  From  the  ungracious  struggle  against  the 
crook,  turn  away  to  the  struggle  with  your  own 
heart  to  bring  it  to  submit,  believing  the  promise 
and  using  the  means  for  it,  being  grieved  from  the 
heart  with  yourselves,  that  you  cannot  submit  to  it. 
This  is  submitting  of  your  lot,  in  the  favourable 
construction  of  the  gospel.  Rom.  vii.  17 — 20  ;  2 
Cor.  viii.  12.  If  you  had  your  choice,  would  you 
rather  have  your  heart  brought  to  submit  to  the 

7 


74  ADDITIONAL    MOTIVES    URGED. 

crook,  than  the  crook  evened  to  your  heart's  de- 
sire ?  Rom.  vii.  22,  23.  And  do  you  not  sincere- 
ly endeavour  to  submit,  notwithstanding  the  reluc- 
tancy  of  the  flesh?     Gal.  v.  17. 

Ans.  2.  Where  is  the  Christian  self-denial,  and 
taking  up  the  cross,  without  submitting  to  the 
crook  ?  This  is  the  first  lesson  Christ  puts  in  the 
hands  of  his  disciples,  Matt.  xvi.  24.  "  If  any  man 
will  come  after  me,  let  him  deny  himself,  and  take 
up  his  cross,  and  follow  me."  Self-denial  would 
procure  a  reconciliation  with  the  crook,  and  an 
admittance  of  the  cross :  but  while  we  cannot 
bear  our  corrupt  self  to  be  denied  any  of  its  crav- 
ings, and  particularly  that  which  God  sees  meet 
especially  tp  be  denied,  we  cannot  bear  the  crook 
in  our  lot,  but  fight  against  it  in  favour  of  self. 

Ans.  3.  Where  is  our  conformity  to  Christ, 
while  we  cannot  submit  to  the  crook  ?  We  cannot 
evidence  ourselves  Christians,  without  conformity 
to  Christ.  "  He  that  saith  he  abideth  in  him,  ought 
himself  also  so  to  walk,  even  as  he  walked."  1 
John  ii.  6.  There  was  a  continued  crook  in 
Christ's  lot,  but  he  submitted  to  it,  Phil.  ii.  8. 
"  And  being  found  in  fashion  as  a  man,  he  hum- 
bled himself,  and  became  obedient  unto  death, 
even  the  death  of  the  cross."  Rom.  xv.  3.  "  For 
even  Christ  pleased  not  himself,"  &c.  And  so 
must  we,  if  we  will  prove  ourselves  Christians  in- 
deed.    Matt.  xi.  29.  ;  2  Tim.  ii.  11,  12. 

Ans.  4.  How  shall  we  prove  ourselves  the  gen- 
uine kindly  children  of  God,  if  still  warring  with 
the  crook  ?     We  cannot  pray,  Our  Father — Thy 


ADDITIO\AL    MOTIVES    URGED.  75 

will  be  done  on  earth,  as,  &c.  Matt.  vi.  Nay,  the 
lanfjiiage  of  that  practice  is,  We  must  have  our 
own  will,  and  God's  will  cannot  satisfy  us. 

Motive  4.  The  trial  by  the  crook  here  will  not 
last  lon^.  1  Cor.  vii.  29 — .31.  What  though  the 
work  be  sore,  it  may  be  the  better  comported  with, 
that  it  will  not  be  longsome  ;  a  few  days  or  years 
at  farthest,  will  put  an  end  to  it,  and  take  you  off 
your  trials.  Do  not  say,  I  shall  never  be  eased  of 
it ;  for  if  not  eased  before,  you  will  be  eased  of  it 
at  death,  come  after  it  what  will.  A  serious  view 
of  death  and  eternity  might  make  us  set  ourselves 
to  behave  rightly  under  our  crook  while  it  lasts. 

Motive  5.  if  you  would,  in  a  Christian  manner, 
set  yourselves  to  bear  the  crook,  you  would  find  it 
easier  than  you  imagine.  Matt.  xi.  29,  30.  "  Take 
my  yoke  upon  you,  and  learn  of  me,  and  ye  shall 
find  rest  to  your  souls  ;  for  my  yoke  is  easy,  and 
my  burden  is  light."  Satan  has  no  readier  way  to 
gain  his  purpose,  than  to  persuade  men  it  is  im- 
possible, that  ever  their  minds  should  ply  with  the 
crook  ;  that  it  is  a  burden  to  them,  altogether  in- 
supportable ;  as  long  as  you  believe  that,  be  sure 
you  will  never  be  able  to  bear  it.  But  the  Lord 
makes  no  crook  in  the  lot  of  any,  but  what  may 
be  borne  of  them  acceptably,  though  not  sinlessly 
and  perfectly.  Matt.  xi.  30.  For  there  is  strength 
for  that  effect  secured  in  the  covenant,  2  Cor.  iii. 
5  ;  Phil.  iv.  13,  and  being  by  faith  fetched,  it  will 
certainly  come,  Psal.  xxviii.  7. 

Motive  6.  If  you  behave  Christianly  under  your 
crook  here,  you  will  not  lose  your  labour,  but  get 


76  ADDITIONAL    MOTIVES    URGED. 

a  full  reward  of  grace  in  the  other  world,  through 
Christ.  2  Tim.  ii.  12  ;  1  Cor.  xv.  58.  There  is  a 
blessing  pronounced  on  him  that  endureth  on  this 
very  ground,  James  i.  12.  "  Blessed  is  the  man 
that  endureth  temptation  ;  for,  when  he  is  tried,  he 
shall  receive  the  crown  of  life  which  the  Lord  hath 
promised  to  them  that  love  him."  Heaven  is  the 
place  into  which  the  approved,  upon  the  trial  of 
the  crook  are  received,  Rev.  vii.  14.  "These  are 
they  which  came  out  of  great  tribulation,  and  have 
washed  their  robes,  and  made  them  white  in  the 
blood  of  the  Lamb."  When  you  come  there,  no 
vestiges  of  it  will  be  remaining  in  your  lot,  nor 
will  you  have  the  least  uneasy  remembrance  of  it ; 
but  it  will  accent  your  praises,  and  increase  your 

joy. 

Motive  7.  If  you  do  not  behave  Christianly  un- 
der it,  you  will  lose  your  souls  in  the  other  world, 
Jude  15,  16.  Those  who  are  at  war  with  God  in 
their  lot  here,  God  will  have  war  with  them  for 
ever.  If  they  will  not  submit  to  his  yoke  here, 
and  go  quietly  under  it,  he  will  wreathe  his  yoke 
about  their  neck  for  ever,  with  everlasting  bonds 
that  shall  never  be  loosed.  Job  ix.  4.  Therefore 
set  yourselves  to  behave  rightly  under  the  crook 
in  your  lot. 

If  you  ask  what  way  one  may  reach  that ;  for 
direction  we  propose, 

Prop.  III.  The  considering  the  crook  in  the  lot,  as 
the  work  of  God,  is  a  proper  means  to  bring  one 
to  behave  righthj  under  it. 


THE    CROOK,    THE    WORK    OF    GOD.  77 

1.  What  it  is  to  consider  the  crook  as  the  work 
of  God.     We  take  it  up  in  these  five  things  : 

First,  An  inquiry  into  the  spring  whence  it  ri- 
ses. Gen.  XXV.  22.  Reason  and  religion  both 
teach  us,  not  only  to  notice  the  crook,  which  we 
cannot  avoid,  but  to  consider  and  inquire  into  the 
spring  of  it.  Surely,  it  is  not  our  choice,  nor  do 
we  designedly  make  it  for  ourselves  :  and  to  as- 
cribe it  to  fortune  is  to  ascribe  it  to  nothing  :  it  is 
not  sprung  of  itself,  but  sown  by  one  hand  or  ano- 
ther for  us.  Job  V.  6.  And  we  are  to  notice  the 
hand  from  whence  it  comes. 

Secondly,  A  perceiving  of  the  hand  of  God  in 
it.  Whatever  hand  any  creatures  have  therein, 
we  ought  not  to  terminate  our  view  in  them,  but 
look  above  and  beyond  them  to  the  supreme  mana- 
ger's agency.  Job  i.  21.  Without  this  we  shall 
make  a  God  of  the  creature  that  is  instrumental 
of  the  crook,  looking  on  it  as  if  it  were  the  first 
cause,  which  is  peculiar  to  God,  Rom.  xi.  36,  and 
bring  ourselves  under  that  doom.  Psalm  xxviii.  5. 
*'  Because  they  regard  not  the  works  of  the  Lord, 
nor  the  operation  of  his  hands,  he  shall  destroy 
them,  and  not  build  them  up." 

Thirdly,  A  representing  it  to  ourselves  as  a  work 
of  God,  which  he  hath  wrought  against  us  for  holy 
and  wise  ends,  becoming  the  divine  perfections. 
This  is  to  take  it  by  the  right  handle,  to  represent 
it  to  ourselves,  under  a  right  notion,  from  whence 
a  right  management  under  it  may  spring.  It  can 
never  be  safe  to  overlook  God  in  it,  but  very  safe 

7* 


78     ACCORDING  TO  THE  COUNSEL  OF  HIS  WILL, 

%>  ov^erlook  the  creature  ;  ascribing  it  unto  God,  as 
if  no  other  hand  were  in  it,  his  being  always  the 
principal  therein.  "  It  is  the  Lord,  let  him  do 
what  seemeth  him  good."  1  Sam.  iii.  18{  Thus 
David  overlooked  Shimei,  and  looked  to  God  in 
the  matter  of  his  cursing,  as  one  fixing  his  eyes, 
not  on  the  axe,  but  on  him  that  wielded  it.  Here 
two  things  are  to  come  into  our  consideration. 

1st.  The  decree  of  God,  purposing  that  crook 
for  us  from  eternity ;  "  for  he  worketh  all  things 
after  the  counsel  of  his  own  will,"  Eph.  i.  11,  the 
sealed  book,  in  which  are  written  all  the  black 
lines  that  make  the  crook.  Whatever  valleys  of 
darkness,  grief,  and  sorrow,  we  are  carried  through, 
we  are  to  look  on  them  as  made  by  the  mountains 
of  brass,  the  immovable  divine  purposes,  Zech.. 
vi.  1.  This  can  be  no  presumption  in  that  case, 
if  we  carry  it  no  further  than  the  event  goes  in  our 
sight  and  feeling :  for  so  far  the  book  is  opened 
for  us  to  look  into. 

2dly.  The  providence  of  God  bringing  to  pass 
that  crook  for  us  in  time.  Amos  iii.  6.  There  is 
nothing  can  befall  us  without  him  in  whom  we  live. 
Whatever  kind  of  agency  of  the  creatures  may  be 
in  the  making  of  our  crook,  whatever  they  have 
done  or  not  done  towards  it,  he  is  the  spring  that 
sets  all  the  created  wheels  in  motion,  which  ceas- 
ing, they  would  all  stop  :  though  he  is  still  infinite- 
ly pure  in  his  agency,  however  impure  they  be  in 
theirs.     Job  considered  both  these,  ch.  xxiii.  14. 

Fourthly.  A  continuing  in  the  thought  of  it  as 


USE    OF    THIS    CONSIDERATION.  79 

such.     It  is  not  a  simple  glance  of  the  eye,  but  JB 
contemplating  and  leisurely  viewing  of  it  as  his 
work,  that  is  the  proper  mean.     We  are  to  be, 

1st.  Habitually  impressed  with  this  considera- 
tion :  as  the  crook  is  some  lasting  grievance,  so 
the  consideration  of  this  as  the  remedy  should  be 
habitually  kept  up.  There  are  other  considera- 
tions besides  this  that  we  must  entertain,  so  that 
we  cannot  always  have  it  expressly  in  our  mind  : 
but  we  must  lay  it  down  for  a  rooted  principle,  ac- 
cording to  which  we  are  to  manage  the  crook,  and 
keep  the  heart  in  a  disposition,  whereby  it  may 
expressly  slip  into  our  minds,  as  occasion  calls. 

2dly.  We  are  to  be  occasionally  exercised  in  it. 
Whenever  we  begin  to  feel  the  smart  of  the  crook, 
we  should  fetch  in  this  remedy ;  when  the  yoke 
begins  to  gall  the  neck,  there  should  be  an  appli- 
cation of  this  spiritual  ointment.  And  however 
often  the  former  comes  in  on  us,  it  will  be  our  wis- 
dom to  fetch  in  the  latter  as  the  proper  remedy ; 
the  oftener  it  is  used,  it  will  more  easily  come  to 
hand,  and  also  be  the  more  effectual. 

Fifthly.  A  considering  it  for  the  end  for  which 
it  is  proposed  to  us,  namely,  to  bring  us  to  a  dutiful 
carriage  under  it.  Men's  corruptions  will  cause 
them  to  enter  on  the  consideration  of  it :  but  as 
the  principle  is,  so  the  end  and  effect  of  it  will  be 
corrupt.  2  Kings  vi.  33.  But  we  must  enter  on, 
and  use  it  for  a  good  end,  if  we  would  have  good 
of  it,  taking  it  as  a  practical  consideration  for  regu- 
lating our  conduct  under  the  crook. 

II.  How  it  is  to  be  understood  to  be  a  proper 


80  IXDISPENSABLE  NECESSITY  OF  FAITH. 

^means  to  bring  one  to  behave  rightly  under  the 
crook. 

Not  as  if  it  were  sufficient  of  itself,  and  as  it 
stands  alone,  to  produce  that  eflect.  But  as  it  is 
used  in  faith,  in  the  faith  of  the  gospel ;  that  is  to 
say,  a  sinner's  bare  considering  the  crook  in  his 
lot  as  the  work  of  God,  without  any  saving  relation 
to  him,  will  never  be  a  way  to  behave  himself 
rightly  under  it :  but  having  believed  in  Jesus 
Christ,  and  so  taking  God  for  his  God,  the  consi- 
dering of  the  crook  as  the  work  of  God,  his  God, 
is  the  proper  means  to  bring  him  to  that  desirable 
temper  and  behaviour.  Many  hearers  mistake  here. 
When  thev  hear  such  and  such  lawful  considera- 
tions  proposed  for  bringing  them  to  duty,  they  pre- 
sently imagine,  that  by  the  mere  force  of  them, 
they  may  gain  the  point.  And  many  preachers 
too,  who,  forgetting  Christ  and  the  gospel,  pretend 
by  the  force  of  reason  to  make  men  Christians  ; 
the  eyes  of  both  being  held,  that  they  do  not  see 
the  corruption  of  men's  nature,  which  is  such  as 
sets  the  true  cure  above  the  force  of  reason :  all 
that  they  are  sensible  of,  being  some  ill  habits, 
which  they  think  may  be  shaken  off  by  a  vigorous 
application  of  their  rational  faculties.  To  clear 
this  matter,  consider, 

First.  Is  it  rational  to  think  to  set  fallen  man, 
with  his  corrupted  nature,  to  work  the  same  way 
with  innocent  Adam  ?  that  is  to  set  beggars  on  a 
level  with  the  rich,  lame  men  to  a  journey  with 
those  that  have  limbs.  Innocent  Adam  had  a  stock 
of  gracious  abilities,  whereby  he  might,  by  the  force 


rNDISPENSABLE  NECESSITY  OF  FAI^.  81 

of  moral  considerations,  have  brought  himself  to 
perform  duty  aright.  But  where  is  that  with  us  ? 
2  Cor.  iii.  5.  Whatever  force  be  in  them  to  a  soul 
endowed  with  spiritual  life,  what  power  have  they 
to  raise  the  dead,  such  as  we  are  ?  Eph.  ii.  1. 

Secondly.  The  scripture  is  very  plain  on  this 
head,  showing  the  indispensable  necessity  of  faith  ; 
Heb.  xi.  and  that,  such  as  unites  to  Christ,  John 
XV.  5.  "  Without  me,"  that  is,  separate  from  me, 
"  ye  can  do  nothing ;"  no,  not  with  all  the  moral 
considerations  ye  can  use.  How  were  the  ten 
commandments  given  on  mount  Sinai  ?  not  as  bare 
exactions  of  duty,  but  fronted  with  the  gospel,  to 
be  believed  in  the  first  place  ;  "  I  am  the  Lord  thy 
God,*'  (fee.  And  so  Solomon,  whom  many  regard 
rather  as  a  moral  philosopher,  than  an  inspired 
writer  leading  to  Christ,  fronts  his  writings,  in  the 
beginning  of  the  Proverbs,  with  most  express  gos- 
pel. And  must  we  have  it  expressly  repeated  in 
our  Bibles  with  every  moral  precept,  or  else  shut 
our  eyes  and  tako  these  precepts  without  it  ?  that 
is  the  effect  of  our  natural  enmity  to  Christ.  If 
we  loved  him  more,  we  should  see  him  more  in 
every  page,  and  in  every  command,  receiving  the 
law  at  his  mouth. 

Thirdly.  Do  but  consider  what  it  is  to  believe 
rightly  under  the  crook  in  the  lot ;  what  humilia- 
tion of  soul,  self-denial,  and  absolute  resignation  to 
the  will  of  God  must  be  in  it :  what  love  to  God  it 
must  proceed  from ;  how  regard  to  his  glory  must 
influence  it  as  the  chief  end  thereof;  and  try,  and 
see  if  it  is  not  impossible  for  you  to  reach  it  with- 


82  IMPORTANCE  OF  DUE  CONSIDERATION. 

out  that  faith  aforementioned.  I  know  a  Christian 
may  reach  it  without  full  assurance  :  but  still,  ac- 
cording to  the  measure  of  their  persuasion  that  God 
is  their  God,  so  will  their  attainments  in  it  be  ; 
these  keep  equal  pace.  O  what  kind  of  hearts  do 
they  imagine  themselves  to  have,  that  think  they 
can  for  a  moment  empty  them  of  the  creature,  far- 
ther than  they  can  fill  them  with  a  God,  as  their 
God,  in  its  room  and  stead !  No  doubt  men  may, 
from  the  force  of  moral  considerations,  work  them- 
selves to  a  behaviour  under  the  crook,  externally 
right,  such  as  many  pagans  had  ;  but  a  Christian 
disposition  of  spirit  under  it  will  never  be  reached, 
without  that  faith  in  God. 

Object.  "  Then  it  is  saints  only  that  are  capable 
of  the  improvement  of  that  consideration." 

Ans.  Yea,  indeed  it  is  so,  as  to  that  and  all 
other  moral  considerations,  for  true  Christian  ends  : 
and  that  amounts  to  no  more,  than  that  directions 
for  walking  rightly  are  only  for  the  living,  that 
have  the  use  of  their  limbs  :  and,  therefore,  that 
ye  may  improve  it,  set  yourselves  to  believe  in  the 
first  place. 

III.  I  shall  confirm  that  it  is  a  proper  mean  to 
bring  one  to  behave  rightly  under  it.  This  will 
appear,  if  we  consider  these  four  things. 

1.  It  is  of  great  use  to  divert  from  the  consider- 
ing and  dwelling  on  those  things  about  the  crook, 
which  serve  to  irritate  our  corruption.  Such  are 
the  balking  of  our  will  and  wishes,  the  satisfac- 
tion we  should  have  in  the  matter's  going  accord- 
ing to  our  mind,  the  instruments  of  the  crook,  how 


IMPORTANCE  OF  DUE  CONSIDERATION.  83 

injurious  they  are  to  us,  how  unreasonable,  how 
obstinate,  <fec.  The  dwelling  on  these  considera- 
tions is  but  the  blowing  of  the  fire  within  ;  but  to 
turn  our  eyes  to  it  as  the  work  of  God,  would  be  a 
cure  by  way  of  diversion,  2  Sam.  vi.  9,  10  ;  and 
such  diversion  of  the  thoughts  is  not  only  lawful, 
but  expedient  and  necessary. 

2.  It  has  a  moral  aptitude  for  producing  this 
good  effect.  Though  our  cure  is  not  compassed 
by  the  mere  force  of  reason  ;  yet  it  is  carried  on, 
not  by  a  brutal  movement,  but  in  a  rational  way. 
Eph.  V,  14.  This  consideration  has  a  moral  effi- 
cacy on  our  reason,  it  is  fit  to  awe  us  into  a  sub- 
mission, and  ministers  a  deal  of  argument  for 
behaving  christianly  under  our  crook. 

3.  It  has  a  divine  appointment  for  that  end, 
which  is  to  be  believed.  Prov.  iii.  6.  So  the  text. 
The  creature  in  itself  is  an  inefficacious  and 
moveless  thing,  a  mere  vanity.  Acts.  xvii.  28. 
That  which  makes  any  thing  a  means  fit  for  the 
end,  is  a  word  of  divine  appointment.  Matt,  iv,  4. 
To  use  any  thing  then  for  an  end,  without  the  faith 
of  this,  is  to  make  a  god  of  the  creature ;  there- 
fore it  is  to  be  used  in  a  dependence  on  God,  ac- 
cording to  that  word  of  appointment.  1  Tim.  iv. 
4,  5.  And  every  thing  is  fit  for  the  end  for  which 
God  has  appointed  it.  This  consideration  is  ap- 
pointed for  that  end ;  and  therefore  is  a  fit  means 
for  it. 

4.  The  Spirit  may  be  expected  to  work  by  it, 
and  does  work  by  it,  ii^iem  that  believe,  and  look 
to  him  iuk,  it,  for  as  nipch  as  it  is  a  mean  of  his 


f 


84  IMPROVEMENT  OF  THE  SUBJECT. 

own  appointment.  Papists,  legalists,  and  all  su- 
perstitious persons,  devised  various  means  of  sanc- 
tification,  seeming  to  have,  or  really  having,  a 
moral  fitness  for  the  same  ;  but  they  are  quite  in- 
effectual, because,  like  Abanar  and  Pharpar,  they 
want  a  word  of  divine  appointment  for  curing  us 
of  our  leprosy ;  therefore  the  Spirit  works  not  by 
them,  since  they  are  not  his  instruments,  but  de- 
vised of  their  own  hearts.  And  since  even  the 
means  of  divine  appointment  are  ineffectual  with- 
out the  Spirit,  these  can  never  be  effectual.  But 
this  consideration  having  a  divine  appointment,  the 
Spirit  works  by  it. 

Use.  Then  take  this  direction  for  your  behaving 
rightly  under  the  crook  in  your  lot.  Inure  your- 
selves to  consider  it  as  the  work  of  God.  And  for 
helping  you  to  improve-it,  so  as  it  may  be  effectual, 
I  offer  these  advices  : 

1.  Consider  it  as  the  work  of  your  God  in 
Christ.  This  is  the  way  to  sprinkle  it  with  gos- 
pel-grace, aud  so  to  make  it  tolerable.  Psal.  xxii. 
1.  The  discerning  of  a  Father's  hand  in  the 
crook  will  take  out  much  of  the  bitterness  of  it, 
and  sugar  the  pill  to  you.  For  this  cause  it  will 
be  necessary,  (1)  Solemnly  to  take  God  for  your 
God,  under  your  crook,  Psal.  cxlii.  4,  5.  (2)  In 
all  your  encounters  with  it,  resolutely  to  believe, 
and  claim  your  interest  in  him.  1  Sam.  xxx.  6. 

2.  Enlarge  the  consideration  with  a  view  of  the 
divine  relations  to  you,  and  the  divine  attributes. 
Consider  it,  being  the  wo|Jpf  your  God,  the  work 
of  your  Father,  elder  Brother,  Head,^Uusband, 


ADVANTAGE  OF  HUMILITY.  85 

&c.,  who  therefore,  surely  consults  your  good. 
Consider  his  holiness  and  justice,  showing  he 
wrongs  you  not ;  his  mercy  and  goodness,  that  it 
is  not  worse  ;  his  sovereignty,  that  may  silence 
you  ;  his  infinite  wisdom  and  love,  that  may  satisfy 
you  in  it. 

3.  Consider  what  a  work  of  his  it  is,  how  it  is 
a  convincing  work,  for  bringing  sin  to  remem- 
brance ;  a  correcting  work,  to  chastise  you  for 
your  follies  ;  a  preventing  work,  to  hedge  you  up 
from  courses  of  sin  you  would  otherwise  be  apt  to 
run  into;  a  trying  work,  to  discover  your  state, 
your  graces,  and  corruptions ;  a  weaning  work,  to 
wean  you  from  the  world  and  fit  you  for  heaven. 

4.  In  all  your  considerations  of  it  in  this  man- 
ner, look  upward  for  his  Spirit,  to  render  them  ef- 
fectual, 1  Cor.  iii.  6. — Thus  may  ye  behave  chris- 
tianly  under  it,  till  God  make  it  even  either  here 
or  in  heaven. 


Prov.  xvi.  19. 

Better  it  is  to  be  of  an  humble  spirit  with  the  lowly, 
than  to  divide  the  spoil  with  the  proud. 

Could  men  once  be  brought  to  believe,  that  it 
is  better  to  have  their  minds  bend  to  the  crook  in 
their  lot,  than  to  force  the  crook  to  their  mind,  they 
would  be  in  a  fair  way  to  bring  their  matters  to  a 
good  account.  Hear  then  the  divine  decision  in 
that  case  :  "  Better  it  is  to  be  of  an  humble  spirit 
with  the  lowly,  than  to  divide  the  spoil  with  the 
proud."     In  which  words, 

8 


86    THE  LOWLY  AND  PROUD  CONTRASTED. 

First.  There  is  a  comparison  instituted,  and  that 
between  two  parties,  and  two  points  wherein  they 
vastly  differ. 

1st.  The  parties  are  the  lowly  and  the  proud, 
who  differ  like  heaven  and  earth :  the  proud  are 
climbing  up  and  soaring  aloft ;  the  lowly  are  con- 
tent to  creep  on  the  ground,  if  that  is  the  will  of 
God.  Let  us  view  them  more  particularly  as  the 
text  represents  them. 

On  the  one  hand  is  the  lowly.  Here  there  is  a 
line-reading  and  a  marginal,  both  from  the  Holy 
Spirit,  and  they  differ  only  in  a  letter.  The  former 
is  the  afflicted  or  poor,  that  are  low  in  their  condi- 
tion ;  those  that  have  a  notable  crook  in  their  lot 
through  affliction  laid  on  them,  whereby  their  con- 
dition is  lowered  in  the  world.  The  other  is  the 
lowly  or  meek  humble  ones,  who  are  low  in  their 
spirit,  as  well  as  their  condition,  and  so  have  their 
minds  brought  down  to  their  lot.  Both  together 
making  the  character  of  this  lowly  party. 

On  the  other  hand  is  the  proud  ;  the  gay  and 
high  minded  ones.  It  is  supposed  here  that  they 
are  crossed  too,  and  have  crooks  in  their  lot ;  for, 
dividing  the  spoil  is  the  consequent  of  a  victory, 
and  a  victory  pre-supposes  a  battle. 

2nd.  The  points  wherein  these  parties  are  sup- 
posed to  differ,  viz  :  being  of  a  humble  spirit,  and 
dividing  the  spoil. 

Afflicted  and  lowly  ones  may  sometimes  get 
their  condition  changed,  may  be  raised  up  on  high, 
and  divide  the  spoil,  as  Hannah,  Job,  &c.  The 
proud  may  sometimes  be  thrown  down  and  crushed, 


PREFERENCE  GIVEN  TO  THE  LOWLY.  87 

as  Pharaoh,  Nebuchadnezzar,  &c.  But  that  is  not 
the  question,  Whether  it  is  belter  to  be  raised  up 
with  the  lowly  or  thrown  down  with  the  proud? 
There  would  be  no  difficulty  in  determining  that. 
But  the  question  is,  Whether  it  is  better  to  be  of  a 
low  and  humble  spirit,  in  low  circumstances,  with 
afflicted  humble  ones  ;  or  to  divide  the  spoil,  and 
get  one's  will,  with  the  proud  ?  If  men  would 
speak  the  native  sentiments  of  their  hearts,  that 
question  would  be  determined  in  a  contradiction  to 
the  text.  The  points  then  here  compared  and  set 
one  against  another,  are  these  : 

On  the  one  hand,  to  be  of  a  humble  spirit  with 
afflicted  lowly  ones.  (Heb.)  To  be  low  of  spirit ; 
for  the  word  primarily  denotes  lowness  in  situation 
or  state  :  so  the  point  here  proposed  is  to  be  with, 
or  in  the  state  of,  afflicted  lowly  ones,  having  the 
spirit  brought  down  to  that  low  lot ;  the  lowness 
of  the  spirit  balancing  the  lowness  of  one's  con- 
dition. 

On  the  other  hand  to  divide  the  spoil  with  the 
proud.  The  point  here  proposed  is,  to  be  with  or 
in  the  state  of  the  proud,  having  their  lot  by  main 
force  brought  to  their  mind  ;  as  those  who,  taking 
themselves  to  be  injured,  tight  it  out  with  the  ene- 
my, overcome  and  divide  the  spoil  according  to 
their  will. 

Secondly.  The  decision  made,  wherein  the 
former  is  preferred  to  the  latter ;  "  Better  is  it  to 
be  of  an  humble  spirit  with  the  lowly  than  to  di- 
vide the  spoil  with  the  proud."  If  these  two  par- 
ties were  set  before  us,  it  were  better  to  take  our 


88      THE  LOWLY  RARELY  TO  BE  FOUND. 

lot  with  those  of  a  low  condition,  who  have  their 
spirits  brought  as  low  as  their  lot,  than  with  those, 
who,  being  of  a  proud  and  high  spirit,  have  their 
lot  brought  up  to  their  mind.  A  humble  spirit  is 
better  than  a  heightened  condition. 

DocT.  There  is  a  generation  of  lowly  afflicted  oneSy 
having  their  spirit  lowered  and  brought  down  to 
their  lot ;  whose  case^  in  that  respect,  is  better 
than  that  of  the  proud  getting  their  will,  and  car- 
rying all  to  their  mind, 

I.  We  shall  consider  the  generation  of  the  low- 
ly afflicted  ones,  having  their  spirit  brought  down 
to  their  lot.     And  we  shall. 

First.  Lay  down  some  general  considerations 
about  them. 

1.  There  is  such  a  generation  in  the  world,  bad 
as  the  world  is.  The  text  expressly  mentions 
them,  and  the  scripture  elsewhere  speaks  of  them  ; 
as  Psal.  ix.  12.  and  x.  12.  Matth.  v.  3.  with  Luke  vi. 
20.  Where  shall  we  seek  them  ?  Not  in  heaven, 
there  are  no  afflicted  ones  there  ;  nor  in  hell,  there 
are  no  lowly  and  humble  ones  there,  whose  spirit 
is  brought  to  their  lot.  In  this  world  they  must 
then  be,  where  the  state  of  trial  is. 

2.  If  it  were  not  so,  Christ,  as  he  was  in  the 
world,  would  have  no  followers  in  it.  He  was  the 
head  of  that  generation  whom  they  all  copy  after ; 
"  Learn  of  me,  for  I  am  meek  and  lowly  of  heart." 
Matt.  xi.  29.  And  for  his  honour,  and  the  honour 
of  his  cross,  they  will  never  be  wanting  while  the 
world  stands,  Rom.  viii.  29.  "  Whom  he  did  fore- 


SOME  MORE  LOWLY  THAN'  OTHERS.  89 

know  he  also  did  predestinate  to  be  conformed  to 
the  image  of  his  Son."  His  image  lies  in  these 
two,  siiU'ering  and  holiness,  whereof  lowliness  is 
a  chief  part. 

3.  Nevertheless,  they  are  certainly  very  rare  in 
the  world.  Agur  observes,  that  there  is  another 
generation,  (Prov.  xxx.  13.  "There  eyes  are  lofty, 
and  their  eye-lids  lifted  up,")  quite  opposite  to 
them,  and  this  makes  the  greatest  company  by  far. 
The  low  and  afflicted  lot  is  not  so  very  rare,  but 
the  lowly  disposition  of  spirit  is  rarely  yoked  with 
it.  Many  a  high  spirit  keeps  up  in  spite  of  low- 
ering circumstances. 

4.  They  can  be  no  more  in  number  than  the 
truly  godly ;  for  nothing  less  than  the  power  of 
dinne  grace  can  bring  down  men's  minds  from 
their  native  height,  and  make  their  will  pliant  to 
the  will  of  God.  2  Cor.  x.  4,  5.  Men  may  put  on 
a  face  of  submission  to  a  low  and  crossed  lot,  be- 
cause they  cannot  help  it,  and  they  see  it  is  in 
vain  to  strive  :  but  to  bring  the  spirit  truly  to  it, 
must  be  the  effect  of  humbling  grace. 

5.  Though  all  the  godly  are  of  that  generation, 
yet  there  are  some  of  them  to  whom  the  character 
more  especially  belongs.  The  way  to  heaven  lies 
through  tribulation  to  all.  Acts  xiv.  22  ;  and  all 
Christ's  followers  are  reconciled  to  it  notwithstand- 
ing, Luke  xvi.  26 ;  Yet  there  are  some  of  them 
more  remarkably  disciplined  than  others,  whose 
spirit  is  hereby  humbled  and  brought  down  to  their 
lot,  Psal.  cxxxi.  2.  "  Surely  I  have  behaved  and 
quieted  myself  as  a  child  that  is  weaned  of  his 

8* 


90  SOME  MORE  LOWLY  THAN  OTHERS.  Wll 

mother  ;  my  soul  is  even  as  a  weaned  child."  Phil, 
iv.  11,  12,  "For  I  have  learned,  in  whatsoever 
state  I  am,  therewith  to  be  content.  I  know  both  ' 
how  to  be  abased,  and  I  know  how  to  abound  : 
every  where,  and  in  all  things  I  am  instructed, 
both  to  be  full  and  to  be  hungry,  both  to  abound 
and  to  suffer  need." 

6.  A  lowly  disposition  of  soul,  and  habitual  aim 
and  bent  of  the  heart  that  way,  has  a  very  favoura- 
ble construction  put  upon  it  in  heaven.  Should 
we  look  for  a  generation  perfectly  purged  of  pride 
and  rising  of  heart  against  their  adverse  lot  at  any 
time,  we  should  find  none  in  this  world ;  but 
those  who  are  sincerly  aiming  and  endeavouring 
to  reach  it,  and  keep  the  way  of  contented  sub- 
mission, though  sometimes  blown  aside,  and  re- 
turning to  it  again,  God  accounts  to  be  that  lowly 
generation.  2  Cor.  vii.  10,  11.  James,  v.  11. 

Secondly.  We  shall  enter  into  particulars.  There 
are  three  things  which  together  make  up  their  cha- 
racter. 

1st.  Affliction  in  their  lot.  That  lowly  genera- 
tion, preferred  to  the  proud  and  prosperous,  is  a 
generation  of  afflicted  ones,  whom  God  keeps  un- 
der the  discipline  of  the  covenant.  We  may  take 
it  up  in  these  two  : 

1.  There  is  a  yoke  of  affliction  of  one  kind  or 
other  oftentimes  upon  them.  Psal.  Ixxiii.  14.  God 
is  frequently  visiting  them  as  a  master  doth  his 
scholars,  and  a  physician  his  patients ;  whereas 
others  in  a  sort  overlooked  by  him.  Rev.  iii.  19. 
They  are  accustomed  to  the  yoke,  and  that  from 


CHARACTER  OF  THE  LOWLY.  91 

the  time  they  enter  into  God's  family.  Psal. 
cxxxix.  1 — 3.  God  sees  it  good  for  them.  Lam. 
iii.  27,  28. 

2.  There  is  a  particular  yoke  of  afiliction  which 
God  has  chosen  for  them,  that  hangs  about  them, 
and  is  seldom,  if  ever,  taken  off  them.  Luke.  ix. 
23.  That  is  their  special  trial,  the  crook  in  their 
lot,  the  yoke  which  lies  on  them  for  their  constant 
exercise.  Their  other  trials  may  be  exchanged, 
but  that  is  a  weiirlit  that  still  hanjjs  about  them, 
bowinjj  them  down. 

2dly.  Lowliness  in  their  disposition  and  tenour 
of  spirit.  They  are  a  generation  of  lowly  humble 
ones,  whose  spirits  God  has,  by  his  grace,  brought 
down  from  their  natural  height.     And  thus, 

L  They  think  soberly  and  meanly  of  them- 
selves; what  they  are,  2  Cor.  xii.  9,  10;  what 
they  can  do ;  2  Cor  iii.  5  :  what  they  are  worth, 
Gen.  xxxii.  10,  and  what  they  deserve.  Lam.  iii. 
22.  Yiewinsf  themselves  in  the  glass  of  the  di- 
vine  law  and  perfection,  they  see  themselves  as  a 
mass  of  imperfection  and  sinfulness.  Job,  5,  6. 

2.  They  think  highly  and  honourably  of  God. 
Psal.  cxlv.  3.  They  are  taught  by  the  Spirit 
what  God  is  ;  and  so  entertain  elevated  thoughts 
of  him.  They  consider  him  as  the  Sovereign  of 
the  world  ;  his  perfections  as  infinite  ;  his  work 
as  perfect.  They  look  on  him  as  the  fountain  of 
happiness,  a  God  in  Christ,  doing  all  things  well  ; 
trusting  his  wisdom,  goodness,  and  love,  even 
where  they  cannot  see.  Heb.  xi.  6. 

3.  They  think  favourably  of  others,  as  far  as  in 


92  CHARACTER  OF  THE  LOWLY. 

justice,  they  may,  Phil.  ii.  3.  Though  they  cannot, 
hinder  themselves  from  seeing  their  glaring  faults, 
yet  they  are  ready  withal  to  acknowledge  their 
excellencies,  and  esteem  them  so  far.  And  be- 
cause they  see  more  into  their  own  merits  and  ad- 
vantages for  holiness,  and  misimproving  thereof, 
than  they  can  see  into  others,  they  are  apt  to  look 
on  others  as  better  than  themselves,  circumstances 
compared. 

4.  They  are  sunk  down  into  a  state  of  subordi- 
nation to  God  and  his  will.  Psal.  cxxxi.  1,  2.  Pride 
sets  a  man  up  against  God,  lowliness  brings  him 
back  to  his  place,  and  lays  him  down  at  the  feet 
of  his  sovereign  Lord,  saying,  Thy  will  be  done 
on  earth,  &c. — They  seek  no  more  the  command, 
but  are  content  that  God  himself  sit  at  the  helm 
of  their  affairs,  and  manage  all  for  them,  Psal. 
xlvii.  4. 

5.  They  are  not  bent  on  high  things,  but  dis- 
posed to  stoop  to  low  things.  Psal.  cxxxi.  1.  Low- 
liness levels  the  towering  imaginations,  which 
pride  mounts  up  against  heaven ;  draws  a  veil 
over  all  personal  worth  and  excellences  before  the 
Lord  ;  and  yields  a  man's  all  to  the  Lord,  to  be  as 
stepping-stones  to  the  throne  of  his  glory.  2  Sam. 
XV.  25,  26. 

6.  They  are  apt  to  magnify  mercies  bestowed 
on  them.  Gen.  xxxii.  10.  Pride  of  heart  overlooks 
and  vilifies  mercies  one  is  possessed  of,  and  fixes 
the  eye  on  what  is  wanting  in  one's  condition, 
making  one  like  the  flies,  which  pass  over  the 
sound  places,  and  swarm  together  on  the  sore. 


CHARACTKR  OF  THE  LOWLY.  93 

On  the  contrary,  lowliness  teaches  men  to  recount 
the  mercies  they  enjoy  in  the  lowest  condition,  and 
to  set  a  mark  on  the  good  things  they  have  pos- 
sessed, or  yet  do.  Job.  ii.  10. 

3dly.  A  spirit  brought  down  to  their  lot.  Their 
lot  is  a  low  and  afilicted  one  ;  but  their  spirit  is  as 
low,  being,  through  grace,  brouirht  down  to  it. 
We  may  take  it  up  in  these  five  things  : 

1.  They  submit  to  it  as  just,  Mic.  vii.  9.  "I 
will  bear  the  indignation  of  the  Lord,  because  I 
have  sinned  against  him."  There  are  no  hard- 
ships in  our  condition,  but  we  have  procured  them 
to  ourselves  ;  and  ii  is  therefore  just  that  we  kiss 
the  rod,  and  be  silent  under  it,  and  so  lower  our 
spirits  to  our  lot.  If  they  complain,  it  is  of  them- 
selves ;  their  hearts  rise  not  up  against  the  Lord, 
far  less  do  they  open  their  mouth  against  the 
heavens.  They  justify  God  and  condemn  them- 
selves, reverencing  his  holiness  and  spotless 
righteousness  in  his  proceedings  against  them. 

2.  They  go  quietly  under  it  as  tolerable.  Lam, 
iii.  26 — 29.  "  It  is  ^ood  that  a  man  should  both 
hope  and  quietly  wait  for  the  salvation  of  the  Lord. 
It  is  good  for  a  man  that  he  bear  the  yoke  in  his 
youth.  He  sitteth  alone,  and  keepeth  silence,  be- 
cause he  hath  borne  it  upon  him  ;  he  putteth  his 
mouth  in  the  dust,  if  so  be  there  may  be  hope." 
While  the  unsubdued  spirit  rages  under  the  yoke 
as  a  bullock  unaccustomed  to  it,  the  spirit  brought  to 
the  lot,  goes  softly  under  it.  They  see  it  is  of  the 
Lord's  mercies  that  it  is  not  worse  ;  they  take  up 
the  naked  cross,  as  God  lays  it  down,  without  those 


94  CHARACTER  OF  THE  LOWLY. 

overweights  upon  it  that  turbulent  passions  add 
thereunto  ;  and  so  it  becomes  really  more  easy  than 
they  thought  it  could  have  been,  like  a  burden  fit- 
ted on  the  back. 

3.  They  are  satisfied  in  it,  as  drawing  their  com- 
fort from  another  quarter  than  their  outward  condi- 
tion, even  as  the  house  stands  fast,  when  the  prop  is 
taken  away  that  it  did  not  lean  upon.  "  Although 
the  fig-tree  should  not  blossom,  neither  fruit  be  in 
the  vine, — yet  I  will  rejoice  in  the  Lord."  Hab.  iii. 
17,  18.  Thus  did  David  in  the  day  of  his  distress, 
"  He  encouraged  himself  in  the  Lord  his  God." 
1  Sam.  XXX.  6.  It  is  an  argument  of  a  spirit  not 
brought  down  to  the  lot,  when  men  are  damped  and 
sunk  under  the  hardships  of  it,  as  if  their  condition 
in  the  world  were  the  point  whereon  their  happiness 
turned.  It  is  want  of  mortification  that  makes  men's 
comforts  to  wax  and  wane,  ebb  and  flow,  accord- 
ing to  the  various  appearances  of  their  lot  in  the 
world. 

4.  They  have  a  complacency  in  it,  as  that  which 
is  fit  and  good  for  them.  Isa.  xxxix.  8.  2  Cor.  xii. 
10.  Men  have  a  sort  of  complacency  in  the  work- 
ing of  physic,  though  it  gripes  them  sore  ;  they  ra- 
tionally think  with  themselves  that  it  is  good  and 
best  for  them :  so  these  lowly  souls  consider  their 
afflicted  lot  as  a  spiritual  medicine,  necessary,  fit, 
and  good  for  them ;  yea,  best  for  them  for  the  time, 
since  it  is  ministered  by  their  heavenly  Father ; 
and  so  they  reach  a  holy  complacency  in  their  low 
afflicted  lot. 

The  lowly  spirit    extracts  this  sweet  out  of  the 


CHARACTER    OF    THE    PROUD.  95 

bitterness  in  his  lot,  considering  how  the  Lord,  by 
means  of  that  afflicting  lot,  stops  the  provision  for 
unrulv  lusts,  that  they  may  be  starved  :  how  he 
cuts  off  the  by-channcls,  that  the  whole  stream  of 
the  soul's  love  may  run  towards  himself;  how  he 
pulls  off,  and  holds  off  the  man's  burden  and  clog 
of  earthly  comforts,  that  he  may  run  the  more  ex- 
peditiously in  the  way  to  heaven. 

5.  They  rest  in  it,  as  what  they  desire  not  to 
come  out  of,  till  the  God  that  brought  them  into  it, 
see  it  meet  to  brinsr  them  out  with  his  good  will. 
Isa.  xxviii.  16.  Though  an  unsubdued  spirit's  time 
for  deliverance  is  always  ready,  a  humble  soul  will 
be  afraid  of  being  taken  out  of  its  afflicted  lot  too 
soon.  It  will  not  be  for  movinor  for  a  chanjTe,  till 
the  heaven's  moving  bring  it  about;  so  this  hinders 
not  prayer,  and  the  use  of  appointed  means,  with 
dependence  on  the  Lord  ;  but  requires  faith,  hope, 
patience,  and  resignation.   2  2am.  xv.  25,  26. 

II.  We  shall  consider  the  generation  of  the  proud 
getting  their  will  and  carrying  all  to  their  mind. 
And  in  their  character  also  are  three  things. 

First,  There  are  crosses  in  their  lot.  They  also 
have  their  trials  allotted  them  by  overruling  provi- 
dence, and  let  them  be  in  what  circumstances  they 
will  in  the  world,  they  cannot  miss  them  altogether. 
For  consider, 

1 .  The  confusion  and  vanity  brought  into  the 
creation  by  man's  sin,  have  made  it  impossible  to 
got  through  the  world,  but  men  must  meet  wiih 
what  will  ruffle  them.  Eccles.  i.  14.  Sin  has 
turned  the  world  from  a  paradise  into  a  thicket. 


96  CHARACTER    OF    THE    PROUD. 

there  is  no  getting  througli  without  being  scratch- 
ed. As  midges  in  the  summer  will  fly  about  those 
walking  abroad  in  a  goodly  attire,  as  well  as  about 
those  in  sordid  apparel ;  so  will  crosses  in  the 
world  meet  with  the  high  as  well  as  the  low. 

2.  The  pride  of  their  heart  exposes  them  partic- 
ularly to  crosses.  A  proud  heart  will  make  a  cross 
to  itself,  where  a  lowly  soul  would  find  none.  Esth. 
V.  13.  It  will  make  a  real  cross  ten  times  the  weight 
it  would  be  to  the  humble.  The  generation  of  the 
proud  are  like  nettles  and  thorn  hedges,  upon  which 
things  flying  about  do  fix,  while  they  pass  over  low 
and  plain  things ;  so  none  are  more  exposed  to 
crosses  than  they,  though  none  so  unfit  to  bear 
them  ;  as  appears  from. 

Secondly,  Reigning  pride  in  their  spirit.  Their 
spirits  were  never  subdued  by  a  work  of  thorough 
humiliation,  they  remain  at  the  height  in  which  the 
corruption  of  nature  placed  them  :  hence  they  can 
by  no  means  bear  the  yoke  God  lays  on  them.  The 
neck  is  swollen  with  the  ill  humours  of  pride  and 
passion ;  hence,  when  the  yoke  once  begins  to 
touch  it,  they  cannot  have  any  more  ease.  We 
may  view  the  case  of  the  proud  generation  here 
in  three  things. 

1.  They  have  an  over-value  for  themselves  ;  and 
so  will  not  stoop  to  the  yoke  ;  it  is  below  them. 
What  a  swelling  vanity  is  in  that,  Exod.  v.  2. 
"  Who  is  the  Lord  that  I  should  obey  his  voice  ?" 
Hence  a  work  of  humiliation  is  necessary  to  make 
one  take  on  the  yoke,  whether  of  Christ's  precepts 
or  providence.   The  first  error  is  in  the  understand- 


CHARACTER    OF    THE    PROUD.  97 

ing ;  whence  Solomon  ordinarily  calls  a  wicked 
man  a  fool ;  accordingly  the  first  stroke  in  conver- 
sion is  there  too,  by  conviction  to  humble.  Men 
are  bigger  in  their  own  conceit,  than  they  are  in- 
deed ;  therefore  God,  suiting  things  to  what  we 
are  really,  cannot  please  us. 

2.  They  have  an  unmortified  self-will,  arising 
from  that  over-value  for  themselves,  and  they  will 
not  stoop.  Exod.  v.  2.  The  question  betwixt 
Heaven  and  us  is,  whether  God's  will  or  our  own 
must  prevail  ?  Our  will  is  corrupt,  God's  will  is 
holy  ;  they  cannot  agree  in  one.  God  says  in  his 
providence,  our  will  must  yield  to  his  ;  but  that  it 
will  not  do,  till  the  iron  sinew  in  it  be  broken. 
Rom.  viii.  7.  Isa.  xlviii.  4. 

3.  They  have  a  crowd  of  unsubdued  passions 
taking  part  with  self-will ;  and  they  say,  He  shall 
not  stoop,  Rom.  vii.  8,  9 ;  and  so  the  war  begins, 
and  there  is  a  field  of  battle  within  and  without  the 
man.     James  iv.  1. 

A  holy  God  crosses  the  self-will  of  proud  crea- 
tures by  his  providence,  overruling  and  disposing 
of  things  contrary  to  their  inclination  ;  sometimes 
by  his  own  immediate  hand,  as  in  the  case  of 
Cain.  Gen.  iv.  4,  5  ;  sometimes  by  the  hand  of 
men  carrying  things  against  tlieir  mind,  as  in  the 
case  of  Ahab  to  whom  Nabotli  refused  his  vine- 
yard.    1  Kinp;s  xxi.  4. 

The  proud  heart  and  will,  unable  to  submit  to  the 
cross,  or  to  bear  to  be  controlled,  rises  up  against 
it,  and  fights  for  the  mastery,  with  its  whole  force 
of  unmortified  passions.     The  design  is  to  remove 

9 


98  CHARACTER    OF    THE    PROUD. 

the  cross,  even  the  crook,  and  bring  the  thing  to 
their  own  mind :  this  is  the  cause  of  this  unholy- 
war,  in  which, 

(1.)  There  is  one  black  band  of  hellish  passions 
that  marches  upwards,  and  makes  an  attack  on 
heaven  itself,  namely,  discontent,  impatience,  mur- 
muring, frettings,  and  the  like.  "  The  foolishness 
of  man  perverteth  his  way ;  and  his  heart  fretteth 
against  the  Lord."  Prov.  xix.  3.  These  fire  the 
breast,  fall  the  countenance.  Gen.  iv.  6,  let  off 
sometimes  a  volley  of  indecent  and  passionate 
complaints,  Jude,  ver.  16,  and  sometimes  of  blas- 
phemies, 2  Kings  vi.  33. 

(2.)  There  is  another  that  marches  forward,  and 
makes  an  attack  on  the  instrument  or  instruments 
of  the  cross,  namely,  anger,  wrath,  fury,  revenge, 
bitterness,  &c.  Prov.  xxvii.  4.  These  carry  the 
man  out  of  the  possession  of  himself,  Luke  xxi. 
19,  fill  the  heart  with  a  boiling  heat,  Psa,  xxxix.  3, 
the  mouth  with  clamour  and  evil-speaking,  Eph. 
iv.  31,  and  threatenings  are  breathed  out ;  Acts  ix. 
1,  and  sometimes  set  the  hands  on  work,  a  most 
heavy  event,  as  in  the  case  of  Ahab  against 
Naboth. 

Thus  the  proud  carry  on  the  war,  but  oftentimes 
they  lose  the  day,  and  the  cross  remains  immovable 
for  all  they  can  do ;  yea,  and  sometimes  they  them- 
selves fall  in  the  quarrel,  it  ends  in  their  ruin.  Exod. 
XV.  9, 10.  But  that  is  not  the  case  in  the  text.  For 
we  are  to  consider  them  as. 

Thirdly,  Getting  their  will,  and  carrying  all  to 
their  mind.     This  speaks, 


Doctrine  of  the  ti;xt  confirmed.       99 

1.  Holy  providence  yielding  to  the  man's  un- 
mortified  self-will,  and  letting  it  go  according  to  his 
mind.  Gen.  vi.  3.  God  sees  it  meet  to  let  the 
struggle  with  him  fall,  for  it  prevails  not  to  his 
good.  Isa.  i.  5.  So  the  reins  are  laid  on  the  proud 
man's  neck,  and  he  has  what  he  would  be  at ; 
"  Ephraim  is  joined  to  idols,  let  him  alone."  Hos. 
iv.  17. 

2.  The  lust  remaining  in  its  strength  and  vigour, 
Psa.  Ixxviii.  30.  "  They  were  not  estranged  from 
their  lust."  God,  in  the  method  of  his  covenant 
sometimes  gives  his  people  their  will,  and  sets  them 
where  they  would  be  ;  but  then,  in  that  case,  the 
lust  for  the  thing  is  mortified,  and  they  are  as 
weaned  children.  Psal.  x.  17.  But  here  the  lust 
remains  rampant :  the  proud  seek  meat  for  it,  and 
get  it. 

3.  The  cross  removed,  the  yoke  taken  off.  Psal. 
Ixxviii.  29.  They  could  not  think  of  bringing  their 
mind  to  their  lot ;  but  they  thwarted  with  it,  wrestled 
and  fought  against  it,  till  it  is  brought  up  to  their 
mind  :  so  the  day  is  their  own,  the  victory  is  on 
their  side. 

4.  The  man  is  pleased  in  his  having  carried  his 
point,  even  as  one  is  when  he  is  dividing  the  spoil. 
1  Kings  xxi.  18,  19. 

Thus  the  case  of  the  afflicted  lowly  generation, 
and  the  proud  generation  prospering,  is  stated. 
Now, 

III.  I  am  to  confirm  the  doctrine,  or  the  deci- 
sion of  the  text.  That  the  case  of  the  former  is  bet- 
ter than  that  of  the  latter.     It  is  better  to  be  in  a 


100       DOCTRIXE    OF    THE    TEXT    CONFIRMED. 

low  afflicted  condition,  with  the  spirit  humble  and 
brought  down  to  the  lot,  than  to  be  of  a  proud  and 
high  spirit,  getting  the  lot  brought  up  to  it,  and 
matters  go  accordmg  to  one's  mind.  This  will  ap- 
pear from  the  following  considerations. 

1.  Humility  is  so  far  preferable  to  pride,  that  in 
no  circumstances  whatsoever  its  preferableness  can 
fail.  Let  all  the  afflictions  in  the  world  attend  the 
humble  spirit,  and  all  the  prosperity  in  the  world 
attend  pride,  humility  will  still  have  the  better  :  as 
gold  in  a  dunghill  is  more  excellent  than  so  much 
lead  in  a  cabinet,  For, 

(1.)  Humility  is  a  part  of  the  image  of  God. 
Pride  is  the  master-piece  of  the  image  of  the  devil. 
Let  us  view  him  who  was  the  express  image  of 
the  Father's  person,  and  we  shall  behold  him  meek 
and  lowly  in  heart.  Matt.  xi.  2Q.  None  more 
afflicted,  yet  his  spirit  perfectly  brought  down  to 
his  lot,  Isa.  liii.  7.  "  He  was  oppressed,  and  he 
was  afflicted,  yet  he  opened  not  his  mouth."  That 
is  a  shining  part  of  the  divine  image :  for  though 
God  cannot  be  low  in  respect  of  his  state  and  con- 
dition, yet  he  is  of  infinite  condescension,  Isa.  Ivii. 
15.  None  bears  as  he,  Rom.  ii.  4,  nor  suffers 
patiently  so  much  contradiction  to  his  will ;  which 
is  proposed  to  us  for  our  encouragement  in  afflic- 
tion, as  it  shone  in  Christ.  "  For  consider  him 
that  endured  such  contradiction  of  sinners  against 
himself,  lest  ye  be  wearied  and  faint  in  your  minds." 
Heb.  xii.  3. 

Pride,  on  the  other  hand,  is  the  very  image  of  the 
devil.  1  Tim.  iii.  6.     Shall  we  value  ourselves  on 


DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TEXT  CONFIRMED.   101 

the  height  of  our  spirits  ?  Satan  will  vie  with  the 
highest  of  us  in  that  point ;  for  though  he  is  the 
most  miserable,  yet  he  is  the  proudest  in  the  whole 
creation.  There  is  the  greatest  distance  between 
his  spirit  and  his  lot ;  the  former  is  as  high  as  the 
throne  of  God,  the  latter  as  low  as  hell :  and  as  it 
is  impossible  that  ever  his  lot  should  be  brought 
up  to  his  spirit ;  so  his  spirit  will  never  come  down 
to  his  lot :  and  therefore  he  will  be  eternally  in  a 
state  of  war  with  his  lot.  Hence,  even  at  this 
time,  he  has  no  rest,  but  goes  about,  seeks  rest  in- 
deed, but  finds  none. 

Now,  is  it  not  better  to  be  like  God  than  like  the 
devil ;  like  him  who  is  the  fountain  of  all  good, 
than  him  who  is  the  spring  and  sink  of  all  evil  ? 
Can  any  thing  possibly  cast  the  balance  here,  and 
turn  the  preference  to  the  other  side  ?  "  Then 
better  it  is  to  be  of  an  humble  spirit  with  the 
lowly,"  &c. 

(2.)  Humility  and  lowliness  of  spirit  qualify  us 
for  friendly  communion  and  intercourse  with  God 
in  Christ.  Pride  makes  God  our  enemy.  1  Pet. 
V.  5.  Our  happiness  here  and  hereafter  depends 
on  our  friendly  intercourse  with  Heaven.  If  we 
have  not  that,  nothing  can  make  up  our  loss.  Psal. 
XXX.  5.  If  we  have  that,  nothing  can  make  us 
miserable,  Rom.  viii.  31.  "  If  God  be  for  us,  who 
can  be  against  us  ?"  Now,  who  are  they  whom 
God  is  for,  but  the  humble  and  lowly  ?  they  who 
being  in  Christ  are  so  made  like  him.  He  blesses 
them,  and  declares  them  the  heirs  of  the  crown  of 
glory  :  "  Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit,  for  theirs  is 

9* 


102   DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TEXT  CONFIRMED. 

the  kingdom  of  heaven."  Matt.  v.  3.  He  will  look 
to  them,  be  their  condition  ever  so  low,  while  he 
overlooks  others.  Isa.  Ixvi.  2.  He  will  have  re- 
spect to  them,  however  they  be  despised :  "  Though 
the  Lord  be  high,  yet  hath  he  respect  to  the  lowly  ; 
but  the  proud  he  knoweth  afar  off."  Psal,  cxxxviii.  6. 
He  will  dwell  with  them,  however  poorly  they 
dwell.  Isa.  Ivii.  15.  He  will  certainly  exalt  them 
in  due  time,  however  low  they  lie  now.  Isa.  xl.  4. 

Whom  is  he  against  ?  Whom  does  he  resist  ? 
The  proud.  Them  he  curseth,  Jer.  xvii.  5.  and 
that  curse  will  dry  up  their  arm  at  length.  The 
proud  man  is  God's  rival ;  he  makes  himself  his 
own  god,  and  would  have  those  about  him  make 
him  theirs  too  ;  he  rages,  he  blusters,  if  they  will 
not  fall  down  before  him.  But  God  will  bring  him 
down.  Isa.  xl.  4.  Psal.  xviii.  27. 

Now,  is  it  not  better  to  be  qualified  for  commu- 
nion with  God,  than  to  have  him  engaged  against 
us,  at  any  rate  ? 

(3.)  Humility  is  a  duty  pleasing  to  God,  pride  a 
sin  pleasing  to  the  devil.  Isa.  Ivii.  15  ;  1  Tim.  iii.  6. 
God  requires  us  to  be  humble,  especially  under 
affliction,  "  and  be  clothed  with  humility."  1  Pet. 
V.  5,  6.  That  is  our  becoming  garment.  The  hum- 
ble  publican  was  accepted,  the  proud  pharisee  re- 
jected. We  may  say  of  the  generation  of  the 
proud,  as  1  Thess.  ii.  16.  "  Wrath  is  come  upon 
them  to  the  uttermost."  They  please  neither  God 
nor  men,  but  only  themselves  and  satan,  whom  they 
resemble  in  it.  Now  duty  is  better  than  sin  at  any 
rate. 


DOCTRINE    OF    THE    TEXT    CONFIRMED.       103 

2.  They  whose  spirits  are  brought  down  to  their 
afflicted  lot,  have  much  quiet  and  repose  of  mind, 
•while  the  proud,  that  must  have  their  lot  brought 
up  to  their  mind,  have  much  disquiet,  trouble,  and 
vexation.     Consider  here,  that,  on  the  one  hand, 

Quiet  of  mind,  and  ease  within,  is  a  great  bless- 
ing, upon  which  the  comfort  of  life  depends.  No- 
thing without  this  can  make  one's  life  happy.  Dan. 
V.  6.  And  where  this  is  maintained,  nothing  can 
make  it  miserable.  John  xvi.  33.  This  being  se- 
cured in  God,  there  is  a  defiance  bid  to  all  the 
troubles  of  the  world.  Psal.  xlvi.  2,  3,  like  the 
child  sailing  in  the  midst  of  the  rolling  waves. 

The  spirit  broughi  down  to  the  lot  makes  and 
maintains  this  inward  tranquillity.  Our  whole 
trouble  in  our  lot  in  this  world  rises  from  the  dis- 
agreement of  our  mind  therewith ;  let  the  mind 
be  brought  to  the  lot,  and  the  whole  tumult  is  in- 
stantly hushed  ;  let  it  be  kept  in  that  disposition, 
and  the  man  shall  stand  at  ease  in  his  affliction, 
like  a  rock  unmoved  with  waters  beating  on  it, 
Col.  iii,  15.  "  And  let  the  peace  of  God  rule  in 
your  hearts,  to  the  which  also  ye  are  called." 

On  the  other  hand,  consider, 

What  disquiet  of  mind  the  proud  suffer  ere  they 
can  get  their  lot  brought  up  to  their  mind.  "  They 
have  taught  their  tongues  to  speak  lies,  and  they 
weary  themselves  to  commit  iniquity."  Jer.  ix.  5. 
James  iv.  2.  "  Ye  lust,  and  have  not ;  ye  kill,  and 
desire  to  have,  and  cannot  obtain ;  ye  fight  and 
war,  yet  ye  have  not."  What  arrows  of  grief  go 
through  their    heart !    what  torture   of  anxiety, 


104        DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TEXT  CONFIRMED. 

fretting,  and  vexation,  must  they  endure !  what 
contrary  passions  fight  within  them  !  and  what  sal- 
lies of  passions  do  they  make  !  what  uneasiness 
was  Haman  in,  before  he  could  carry  the  point  of 
revenge  against  Mordecai,  obtaining  the  king's 
decree  ! 

When  the  thing  is  got  to  their  mind,  it  will  not 
quit  the  cost.  The  enjoyment  thereof  brings  not 
so  much  satisfaction  and  pleasure,  as  the  want  of 
it  gave  pain.  This  was  evident  in  Rachel's  case, 
as  to  the  having  of  children  ;  and  in  that  case, 
Psal.  Ixxviii.  30,  31.  There  is  a  dead  fly  in  the 
ointment  that  mars  the  savour  they  expected  to 
find  in  it.  Fruit  plucked  off  the  tree  of  provi- 
dence, ere  it  is  ripe,  will  readily  set  the  teeth  on 
edge.  It  proves  like  the  manna  kept  over  night. 
Exod.  xvi.  20. 

They  have  but  an  unsure  hold  of  it ;  it  doth 
not  last  with  them.  Either  it  is  taken  from  them 
soon,  and  they  are  just  where  they  were  again  : 
"I  gave  them  a  king  in  my  anger,  and  took-'him 
away  in  my  wrath."  Hos.  xiii.  11.  Having  a  root 
of  pride,  it  quickly  withers  away  ;  or  else  they  are 
taken  from  it,  that  they  have  no  access  to  enjoy  it. 
So  Haman  obtained  the  decree  ;  but  ere  the  day 
of  the  execution  came,  he  was  gone. 

3.  They  that  get  their  spirit  brought  down  to 
their  afflicted  lot,  gain  a  point  far  more  valuable 
than  they  who  in  their  pride  force  up  their  lot  to 
their  mind.  Prov.  xvi.  32.  "  He  that  is  slow  in 
anger,  is  better  than  the  mighty  ;  and  he  that  ruleth 


DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TEXT  CONFIRMED.    105 

his  spirit,  than  he  that  taketh  a  city."  This  will 
appear,  if  you  consider, 

(1.)  The  latter  makes  but  a  better  condition  in 
outward  things,  the  former  makes  a  better  man. 
The  life  is  more  than  meat. — The  man  himself  is 
more  valuable  than  all  external  conveniences  that 
attend  him.  What  therefore  betters  the  man  is 
preferable  to  what  betters  only  his  condition.  Who 
doubts  but  where  two  are  sick,  and  the  one  gets 
himself  transported  from  a  coarse  bed  to  a  fine 
one,  the  sickness  still  remaining ;  the  other  lies 
still  in  the  coarse  bed,  but  the  sickness  is  removed  ; 
that  the  case  of  the  latter  is  preferable  ?  So 
here,  &c. 

(2.)  The  subduing  of  our  own  passions  is  more 
excellent  than  to  have  the  whole  world  subdued  to 
our  will :  for  then  we  are  masters  of  ourselves,  ac- 
cording to  that,  Luke  xxi.  19.  Whereas,  in  the 
other  case,  we  are  still  slaves  to  the  worst  of  mas- 
ters, Rom.  vi.  16.  In  the  one  case  we  are  safe, 
blow  what  storm  will ;  in  the  other  we  lie  exposed 
to  thousands  of  dangers,  Prov.  xxv.  28.  "  He  that 
hath  no  rule  over  his  own  spirit,  is  like  a  city  that 
is  broken  down,  and  without  walls." 

(3.)  When  both  shall  come  to  be  judged,  it  will 
appear  the  one  has  multiplied  the  tale  of  their  good 
works,  in  bringing  their  spirit  to  their  lot ;  the 
other,  the  tale  of  their  ill  works,  in  bringing  their 
lot  to  their  spirit.  W^e  have  to  do  with  an  om- 
niscient God,  in  whose  eyes  every  internal  action 
is  a  work,  good  or  bad,  to  be  reckoned  for.  Rom. 
ii.  16. 


106  IMPROVEMENT  OF  THE  SUBJECT. 

An  afflicted  lot  is  painful,  but,  where  it  is  well 
managed,  it  is  very  fruitful ;  it  exercises  the  graces 
of  the  Spirit  in  a  christian,  which  otherwise  would 
lie  dormant.  But  there  is  never  an  act  of  resig- 
nation to  the  will  of  God  under  the  cross,  nor  an 
act  of  trusting  in  him  for  his  help,  but  they  will  be 
recorded  in  heaven's  register  as  good  works.  Mai. 
iii.  16.     And  these  are  occasioned  by  affliction. 

On  the  other  hand,  there  is  never  a  rising  of  the 
proud  heart  against  the  lot,  nor  a  faithless  attempt 
to  bring  it  to  our  mind,  whether  it  succeed  or  not, 
but  it  passes  for  an  ill  work  before  God.  How 
then  will  the  tale  of  such  be  multiplied  by  the  war 
in  which  the  spoil  is  divided ! 

Use  1.    Of  information.     Hence  we  may  learn, 

1.  It  is  not  always  best  for  folks  to  get  their 
will.  Many  there  are  who  cannot  be  pleased  with 
God's  will  about  them,  and  they  get  their  own  will 
with  a  vengeance,  Psal.  Ixxxi.  11,  12.  "Israel 
would  none  of  me,  so  I  gave  them  up  to  their  own 
heart's  lust ;  and  they  walked  in  their  own  coun- 
sels." It  may  be  most  pleasant  and  grateful  for 
the  time,  but  it  is  not  the  safest.  Let  not  the  peo- 
ple pride  themselves  in  their  carrying  things  that 
way  then  by  a  strong  hand  ;  let  them  not  triumph 
in  such  victory :  the  after-reckoning  will  open 
their  eyes. 

2.  The  afflicted  crossed  party,  whose  lot  is  kept 
low,  is  so  far  from  being  a  loser,  that  he  is  a  gainer 
thereby,  if  his  spirit  is  brought  clown  to  it.  And 
if  he  will  see  things  in  the  light  of  God's  unerring 
word,  he  is  in  better  case  than  if  he  had  got  all 


IMPROVEMENT  01'  THE  SUBJECT.  107 

carried  to  his  mind.  In  the  one  way  the  vessels 
of  wrath  are  fitted  for  destruction.  Pisal.  Ixxviii. 
29 — 31.  In  the  other,  the  vessels  ot'  mercy  are 
fitted  for  glory,  and  so  God  disciplines  his  own. 
Lain.  iii.  27. 

3.  It  is  better  to  yield  to  Providence  than  to 
fight  it  out,  though  we  should  win.  Yielding  to 
the  sovereign  disposal  is  both  our  becoming  duty 
and  our  greatest  interest.  Taking  that  way,  we 
act  most  honourably ;  for  what  honour  can  there 
be  in  the  creature's  disputing  his  ground  with  his 
creator  ?  and  we  act  most  wisely  ;  for  whatever 
may  be  the  success  of  some  battles  in  that  case, 
we  may  be  sure  victory  will  be  on  Heaven's  side 
in  the  war,  1  Sam.  ii.  9.  "  For,  by  strength  shall 
no  man  prevail." 

4.  It  is  of  so  much  greater  concern  for  us  to 
fret  our  spirits  brought  down  than  our  outward  con- 
dition raised.  But  who  believes  this  ?  All  men 
strive  to  raise  their  outward  condition ;  most  men 
never  mind  the  bringing  down  of  their  spirits,  and 
few  there  are  who  apply  themselves  to  it.  And 
what  is  that  but  to  be  concerned  to  minister  drink 
to  the  thirsty  sick,  but  never  to  mind  to  seek  a  cure 
for  them,  whereby  their  thirst  may  be  carried  off. 

Use  2.  Of  exhortation.  As  you  meet  with 
crosses  in  your  lot  in  the  world,  let  your  desire  be 
rather  to  have  your  spirit  humbled  and  brought 
down,  than  to  get  the  cross  removed.  I  mean  not 
but  that  you  may  use  all  lawful  means  for  the  re- 
moval of  your  cross,  in  dependence  on  God  ;  but 
only  that  you  be  more  concerned  to  get  your  spirit 


108  IMPROVEMENT  OF  THE  SUBJECT. 

to  bow  and  ply,  than  to  get  the  crook  in  your  lot 
evened. 

Motive  1.  It  is  far  more  needful  for  us  to  have 
our  spirits  humbled  under  the  cross,  than  to  have 
the  cross  removed.  The  removal  of  the  cross  is 
needful  only  for  the  ease  of  the  flesh,  the  humbling 
for  the  profit  of  our  souls,  to  purify  them,  and  bring 
them  into  a  state  of  health  and  cure. 

2.  The  humbling  of  the  spirit  will  have  a  mighty 
good  effect  on  a  crossed  lot,  but  the  removal  of  the 
cross  will  have  none  on  the  unhumbled  spirit.  The 
humbling  will  lighten  the  cross  mightily  for  the  time, 
Matt.  xi.  30,  and  in  due  time  carry  it  cleanly  off,  1 
Pet.  V.  6.  But  the  removal  of  the  cross  is  not  a 
means  to  humble  the  unhumbled  ;  though  it  may 
prevent  irritation,  yet  the  disease  still  remains. 

3.  Think  with  yourselves  how  dangerous  and 
hopeless  a  case  it  is  to  have  the  cross  removed  ere 
the  spirit  is  humbled  ;  that  is,  to  have  the  means  of 
cure  pulled  away  and  blocked  up  from  us,  while  the 
power  of  the  disease  is  yet  unbroken  ;  to  be  taken 
off  trials  ere  we  have  given  any  good  proof  of  our- 
selves, and  so  to  be  given  over  of  our  physician  as 
hopeless,  Isa.  i.  5.     Hos.  iv.  17. 

Use  3.  For  direction.  Believing  the  gospel,  take 
God  for  your  God  in  Christ  towards  your  eternal 
salvation,  and  then  dwell  much  on  the  thoughts  of 
God's  greatness  and  holiness,  and  of  your  own  sin- 
fulness ;  so  will  you  be  humbled  under  the  mighty 
hand  of  God  ;  and,  in  due  time,  he  will  lift  you  up. 


introductory  remarks.  109 

1  Peter  v.  6 

Humble  yourselves  therefore  under  the  mighty  hand 
of  God,  that  he  may  exalt  you  in  due  time. 

In  the  preceding  part  of  this  chapter,  the  apostle 
presents  the  duties  of  the  church  officers  towards 
the  people  ;  and  then  the  duty  of  the  people,  both 
towards  their  officers,  and  among  themselves, 
which  he  winds  up  in  one  word,  submission.  For 
which  causes  he  recommends  humility  as  the  great 
means  to  bring  all  to  their  respective  duties.  This 
is  enforced  with  an  argument  taken  from  the  differ- 
ent treatment  the  Lord  gives  to  the  proud  and  the 
humble ;  his  opposing  himself  to  the  one,  and 
showing  favour  to  the  other.  Our  text  is  an  ex- 
hortation drawn  from  that  consideration  ;  and  in  it 
we  have, 

1st.  The  duty  we  are  to  study  :  "  Humble  your- 
selves therefore  under  the  mighty  hand  of  God,  that 
he  may  exalt  you  in  due  time."  And  therein  we 
may  notice, 

(1.)  The  state  of  those  to  whom  it  is  proposed, 
those  under  the  mighty  hand  of  God,  whom  his 
hand  has  humbled,  or  brought  low  in  respect  of 
their  circumstances  in  tlie  world.  And  by  these, 
'I  think,  are  meant,  not  only  such  as  are  under  par- 
ticular signal  afflictions,  which  is  the  lot  of  some, 
but  also  those  who,  by  the  providence  of  God,  are, 
in  any  kind  of  way  lowered,  which  is  the  lot  of  all. 
All  being  in  a  state  of  submission  or  dependence 
on  others  God  has  made  this  life  a  state  of  trial ; 

10 


110  INTRODUCTORY    REMARKS. 

and  for  that  cause  he  has,  by  his  mighty  hand, 
subjected  men  one  to  another,  as  wives,  children, 
servants,  to  husbands,  parents,  masters  ;  and  these 
again  to  their  superiors  ;  among  whom,  again,  even 
the  highest  depend  on  those  under  them,  as  magis- 
trates and  ministers  on  the  people,  even  the  su- 
preme magistrate.  This  state  of  the  world  God 
has  made  for  the  trial  of  men  in  their  several  sta- 
tions, and  dependence  on  others ;  and  therefore, 
when  the  time  of  trial  is  over,  it  also  comes  to  an 
end.  "  Then  cometh  the  end — when  he  shall  have 
put  down  all  rule  and  all  authority,  and  power,"  1 
Cor.  XV.  24,  25.  Meantime,  while  it  lasts,  it  makes 
humility  necessary  to  all,  to  prompt  them  to  the 
duty  they  owe  their  superiors,  to  whom  God's 
mighty  hand  has  subjected  them. 

(2.)  The  duty  itself,  namely.  Humiliation  of  our 
spirits  under  the  humbling  circumstances  the  Lord 
has  placed  us  in.  "  Humble  yourselves  therefore 
under  the  mighty  hand  of  God,  that  he  may  exalt 
you  in  due  time."  Whether  we  are  under  partic- 
ular afflictions,  which  have  cast  us  down  from  the 
heiffht  we  were  sometime  in,  or  whether  we  are 
only  inferiors  in  one  or  more  relations  ;  or  wheth- 
er, which  is  most  common,  both  these  are  in  our 
case,  we  must  therein  eye  the  mighty  hand  of  God, 
as  that  which  placed  us  there,  and  is  over  us,  there 
to  hold  us  down  in  it ;  and  so,  with  an  awful  regard 
thereto,  bow  down  under  it,  in  the  temper  and  dis- 
position of  our  spirits,  suiting  our  spirits  to  our  lot, 
and  careful  of  performing  the  duty  of  our  low 
sphere. 


INTRODUCTORV    REMARKS.  Ill 

(3.)  A  particular  spring  of  this  duty  ;  therefore 
we  must  consider,  that  those  who  cannot  quietly 
keep  the  place  assigned  them  of  God  in  their  af- 
flictions or  relations,  but  still  press  upward  against 
the  mighty  hand  that  is  over  them,  that  mighty 
hand  resists  them,  throwing  them  down,  and  often 
farther  down  than  before  ;  whereas,  it  treats  them 
with  grace  and  favour,  that  compose  themselves 
under  it,  to  a  quiet  discharge  of  their  duty  in  their 
situation  ;  so,  eyeing  this,  we  must  set  ourselves 
to  humble  ourselves. 

2dly.  The  infallible  issue  of  that  course  ;  that 
he  may  exalt  you  in  due  time.  The  particle  that^ 
is  not  always  to  be  understood  finally,  as  denoting 
the  end  or  design  the  agent  proposes  to  himself, 
but  sometimes  eventually  only,  as  denoting  the 
event  or  issue  of  the  action,  John  ix.  2,3.;  1  John 
ii.  19.  So  here,  the  meaning  is  not,  Humble  your- 
selves, on  design  he  may  exalt  you  ;  but,  and  it 
shall  issue  in  his  exalting  you.  Compare  James 
iv.  10. 

(1.)  Here  is  a  happy  event,  of  humiliation  of 
spirit  secured,  and  that  is  exaltation  or  lifting  up 
on  high,  by  the  power  of  God,  that  he  may  exalt 
you.  Exalting  will  as  surely  follow  on  humilia- 
tion of  spirit,  suitable  to  the  low  lot,  as  the  morn- 
ing follows  the  night,  or  the  sun  riseth  after  the 
dawning.  And  these  words  are  fitted  to  obviate 
the  objections  that  the  world  and  our  corrupt  hearts 
are  apt  to  make  against  bringing  down  the  spirit  to 
the  low  lot. 


112  INTRODUCTORY    REMARKS. 

Object,  1.  If  we  let  our  spirit  fall,  we  shall  lie 
always  at  folks'  feet,  and  they  will  trample  on  us. 

Ans.  No ;  pride  of  spirit  unsubdued,  will  bring 
men  to  lie  at  the  feet  of  others  for  ever,  Isa.  Ixvi. 
24.  But  humiliation  of  spirit  will  bring  them  un- 
doubtedly out  from  under  their  feet,  Mai.  iv.  2,  3. 
Thev  that  humble  themselves  now  will  be  exalted 
for  ever ;  they  will  be  brought  out  of  their  low 
situation  and  circumstances.  Cast  ye  yourselves 
even  down  with  your  low  lot,  and  assure  your- 
selves ye  shall  not  lie  there. 

Object.  2.  If  we  do  not  raise  ourselves,  none 
will  raise  us  ;  and  therefore  we  must  see  to  our- 
selves, to  do  ourselves  right. 

Ans.  That  is  wrong.  Humble  ye  yourselves  in 
respect  of  your  spirits,  and  God  will  raise  you  up 
in  respect  of  your  lot,  or  low  condition  ;  and  they 
that  have  God  eno^aojed  for  raising  them,  have  no 
reason  to  say  they  have  none  to  do  it  for  them. 
Bringing  down  of  the  spirit  is  our  duty,  raising  us 
up  is  God's  work ;  let  us  not  forfeit  the  privilege 
of  God's  raising  us  up,  by  arrogating  that  work  to 
ourselves,  taking  it  out  of  his  hand. 

Object.  3.  But  surely  we  shall  never  rise  high, 
if  we  let  our  spirits  fall. 

Ans.  That  it  is  wrong  too :  God  will  not  only 
raise  the  humble  ones,  but  he  will  lift  them  up  on 
high ;  for  so  the  word  signifies.  They  shall  be 
as  high  at  length  as  ever  they  were  low,  were  they 
ever  so  low  ;  nay,  the  exaltation  will  bear  propor- 
tion to  the  humiliation. 


DESIGN  OF  GOD  IX  AFFLICTING.  113 

(2.)  Here  is  the  date  of  that  happy  event  when 
it  will  fall  out.  In  due  time,  or  in  the  season,  the 
proper  season  for  it,  Gal.  vi.  9.  "In  due  season 
we  shall  reap,  if  we  faint  not."  We  are  apt  to 
weary  in  humbling  trying  circumstances,  and  would 
instantly  heave  up  our  head,  John.  vii.  6.  But  So- 
lomon obser\^es,  There  is  a  time  for  every  thing 
when  it  does  best,  and  the  wise  will  wait  for  it, 
Eccl.  iii.  I — 8.  There  is  a  time  too  for  exalting 
them  that  humble  themselves  ;  God  has  set  it,  and 
it  is  the  due  time  for  the  purpose,  the  time  when 
it  does  best,  even  as  sowing  in  the  spring,  and 
reaping  in  the  harvest.  When  that  time  comes, 
your  exalting  shall  no  longer  be  put  off,  and  it 
would  come  too  soon  should  it  come  before  that 
time. 

DocT.  I.  The  bent  of  one^s  heart,  in  humbling 
circumstances,  should  lie  towards  a  suitable  humr 
bling  of  spirit,  as  under  God's  mighty  hand  plac- 
ing  us  in  them.     We  shall  consider, 

1.  What  things  are  supposed  in  this.  It  suppo- 
ses that 

1.  God  brings  men  into  humbling  circumstances, 
Ezek.  xvii.  24.  "  And  all  the  trees  of  the  field 
shall  know,  that  I  the  Lord  have  brought  down  the 
high  tree."  There  is  a  root  of  pride  in  the  hearts 
of  all  men  on  earth,  that  must  be  mortified  ere  they 
can  be  meet  for  heaven  :  and  therefore  no  man  can 
miss,  in  this  time  of  trial,  some  things  that  will 
give  a  proof  whether  he  can  stoop  or  no.      And 

10* 


114  DESIGN  OF  GOD  IN  AFFLICTING. 

God  brings  them  into  humbling  circumstances  for 
that  very  end,  Deut.  viii.  2 .  "  The  Lord  thy  God 
led  thee  these  forty  years  in  the  wilderness,  to 
humble  thee,  and  to  prove  thee,  to  know  what  was 
in  thine  heart." 

2.  These  circumstances  prove  pressing  as  a 
weioht  on  the  heart,  tending  to  bear  it  down,  Psal. 
evii.  12.  "  Therefore  he  brought  down  their  hearts 
with  labour."  They  strike  at  the  grain  of  the 
heart,  and  cross  the  natural  inchnation  :  whence  a 
trial  arises,  whether,  when  God  lays  on  his  migh- 
ty hand,  the  man  can  yield  under  it  or  not ;  and 
consequently,  whether  he  is  meet  for  heaven  or  not. 

3.  The  heart  is  naturally  apt  to  rise  up  against 
these  humbling  circumstances,  and  consequently 
ao-ainst  the  mighty  hand  that  brings  and  keeps  them 
on.  The  man  naturally  bends  his  force  to  get  off 
the  weight,  that  he  may  get  up  his  head,  seeking 
more  to  please  himself  than  to  please  his  God, 
Job.  XXXV.  9,  10.  "  They  cry  out  by  reason  of 
the  arm  of  the  mighty :  but  none  saith.  Where  is 
God  my  Maker  1"  This  is  the  first  gate  the  heart 
runs  to  in  humbling  circumstances  ;  and  in  this 
way  the  unsubdued  spirit  holds  on. 

4.  But  what  God  requires  is,  rather  to  labour  to 
bring  down  the  heart,  than  to  get  up  the  head,  James 
iv.  10.  Here  lies  the  proof  of  one's  meetness  for 
heaven  ;  and  then  is  one  in  the  way  heaven-ward, 
when  he  is  more  concerned  to  get  down  his  heart 
than  to  get  up  his  head,  to  go  calmly  under  his 
burden  than  to  get  it  off,  to  bow  under  the  mighty 
hand,  than  to  put  it  off  him. 


AFFLICTION'S    DIVERSIFIED.  115 

5.  There  must  be  a  noticing  of  the  hand  of  God 
in  humbhng  circumstances ;  "  Hear  ye  the  rod, 
and  him  who  hath  appointed  it."  Mic.  vi.  9.  There 
is  an  abjectness  of  spirit,  whereby  some  give  up 
themselves  to  the  will  of  others  in  the  harshest 
treatment,  merely  to  please  them,  without  regard 
to  the  authority  and  command  of  God.  This  is 
real  meanness  of  spirit,  whereby  one  lies  quietly 
to  be  trampled  on  by  a  fellow  worm,  from  its  ima- 
ginary weight ;  and  none  so  readily  fall  into  it  as 
the  proud,  at  some  times,  to  serve  their  own  turn. 
These  are  men-pleasers,  Eph.  vi,  6  ;  Gal.  i.  10. 

II.  What  are  those  humbling  circumstances  the 
mighty  hand  of  God  brings  men  into.  Supposing 
here  what  was  before  taught  concerning  the  crook 
in  the  lot  being  of  God's  making,  these  are  cir- 
cumstances, 

1.  Of  imperfection.  God  has  placed  all  men 
in  such  circumstances  under  a  variety  of  wants 
and  imperfections,  Phil.  iii.  12.  We  can  look 
no  where,  where  we  are  not  beset  with  them. 
There  is  a  heap  of  natural  and  moral  imperfec- 
tions about  us  :  our  bodies  and  our  souls,  in  all 
their  faculties,  are  in  a  state  of  imperfection.  The 
pride  of  all  glory  is  stained  ;  and  it  is  a  shame  for 
us  not  to  be  humbled  under  such  wants  as  attend 
us;  it  is  like  a  bcgger  strutting  in  his  rags. 

2.  Of  inferiority  in  relations,  whereby  men  are 
set  in  the  lower  place  in  relations  and  society,  and 
made  to  depend  on  others,  1  Cor.  vii.  24.  God 
has  for  a  trial  of  men's  submission  to   himself. 


116  AFFLICTIONS    DIVERSIFID. 

subjected  them  to  others  whom  he  has  set  over 
them,  to  discover  what  regard  they  will  pay  to  his 
authority  and  commands  at  second  hand.  Domin- 
ion or  superiority  is  a  part  of  the  divine  image 
shining  in  them,  1  Cor.  xi.  7.  And  therefore 
reverence  of  them,  consisting  in  an  awfyl  regard 
to  that  ray  of  the  divine  image  shining  in  them,  is 
necessarily  required,  Eph.  v.  23  ;  Heb.  xii.  9. 
The  same  holds  in  all  other  relations  and  superi- 
orities, namely,  that  they  are  so  far  in  the  place  of 
God  to  their  relatives,  Psal.  Ixxxii.  6,  and  though 
the  parties  be  worthless  in  themselves,  that  looses 
not  from  the  debt  due  to  them,  Acts  xxiii.  4,  5. 
Rom.  xiii.  7.  The  reason  is,  because  it  is  not  their 
qualities,  but  their  character,  which  is  the  ground 
of  that  debt  of  reverence  and  subjection ;  and  the 
trial  God  makes  of  us  in  that  matter  turns  not  on 
the  point  of  the  former,  but  of  the  latter. 

Now,  God  having  placed  us  in  these  circum- 
stances of  inferiority,  all  refractoriness,  in  all 
things  not  contrary  to  the  command  of  God,  is 
rising  up  against  his  mighty  hand,  Rom.  xiii.  2, 
because  it  is  mediately  upon  us  for  that  effect, 
though  it  is  a  man's  hand  that  is  immediately  on 
us. 

3.  Of  contradiction,  tending  directly  to  balk  us 
of  our  will.  This  was  a  part  of  our  Lord's  state 
of  humiliation,  and  the  apostle  supposes  it  will  be 
apart  of  ours  too,  Heb.  xii.  3.  There  is  a  perfect 
harmony  in  heaven,  no  one  to  contradict  another 
there  :  for  they  are  in  their  state  of  retribution  and 


AFFLICTIONS    DIVERSIFIED.  117 

exaltation  ;  but  we  are  here  in  our  state  of  trial 
and  humiliation,  and  therefore  cannot  miss  contra- 
diction, be  we  placed  ever  so  high. 

Whether  these  contradictions  be  just  or  unjust, 
God  tries  men  with  them  to  humble  them,  to  break 
them  off  from  addictedness  to  their  own  will,  and 
to  teach  them  resignation  and  self-denial.  They 
are  in  their  own  nature  humbling,  and  much  the 
same  to  us,  as  the  breaking  of  a  horse  or  a  bullock 
is  to  them.  And  I  believe  there  are  many  cases 
in  which  there  can  be  no  accounting  for  them,  but 
by  recurring  to  this  use  God  has  for  them. 

4.  Of  affliction,  Prov.  xvi.  19.  Prosperity  pufTs 
up  sinners  with  pride  ;  for  it  is  very  hard  to  keep  a 
low  spirit  with  a  high  and  prosperous  lot.  But 
God,  by  affliction,  calls  men  down  from  their 
heights  to  sit  in  the  dust,  plucks  away  their  gay 
feathers  wherein  they  prided  themselves,  rubs  the 
paint  and  varnish  from  ofTthe  creature,  whereby  it 
appears  more  in  its  native  deformity.  There  are 
various  kinds  of  affliction,  some  more,  some  less 
humbling,  but  all  of  them  are  humbling. 

Wherefore,  not  to  lower  the  spirit  under  the  afflic- 
tion, is  to  attempt  to  rise  up  when  God  is  casting 
and  holding  us  down  ;  and  cannot  fail,  if  continued 
in,  to  provoke  the  Lord  to  break  us  in  pieces, 
Ezek.  xxiv.  13.  For  the  afflicting  hand  of  God  is 
mighty. 

5.  Of  sin,  as  the  punishment  of  sin.  We  may 
allude  to  that.  Job  xxx.  19.  All  the  sin  in  the 
world  is  a  punishment  of  Adam's  first  sin.  Man 
threw  himself  into  the  mire  at  first,  and  now  he  is 


118  WHEREIN    HUMILIATION    CONSISTS. 

justly  left  weltering  in  it.  Men  wilfully  make  one 
false  step,  and  for  that  cause  they  are  justly  left  to 
make  another  worse  ;  and  sin  hangs  about  all,  even 
the  best.  And  this  is  over-ruled  of  God  for  our 
humiliation,  that  we  may  be  ashamed,  and  never 
open  our  mouth  any  more.  Wherefore,  not  to  be 
humbled  under  our  sinfulness,  is  to  rise  up  against 
the  mighty  hand  of  God,  and  to  justify  all  our  sin- 
ful departings  from  him,  as  lost  to  all  sense  of  duty, 
and  void  of  shame. 

III.  What  it  is  in  humbling  circumstances,  to 
humble  ourselves  under  the  mighty  hand  of  God. 
This  is  the  cn-eat  thing  to  be  aimed  at  in  our  hum- 
bling  circumstances.  And  we  may  take  it  up  in 
these  eidit  things. 

1.  Noticing  God's  mighty  hand,  as  employed  in 
bringing  about  every  thing  that  concerns  us,  either 
in  the  way  of  efficacy  or  permission,  "  And  he 
said,  It  is  the  Lord  ;  let  him  do  what  seemeth  him 
good."  1  Sam.  iii.  18.  "And  the  king  said,  The 
Lord  hath  said  unto  him,  Curse  David  :  who  shall 
then  say,  wherefore  hast  thou  done  so  ?"  2  Sam. 
xvi.  10.  He  is  the  fountain  of  all  perfection,  but 
we  must  trace  our  imperfections  to  his  sovereign 
will.  It  is  he  that  has  posted  every  one  in  their 
relations  by  his  providence  ;  without  him  we  could 
not  meet  with  such  contradictions  ;  for,  "  The 
king's  heart  is  in  the  hand  of  the  Lord,  as  the  rivers 
of  water :  he  turneth  it  withersoever  he  pleaseth." 
Prov.  xxi.  1.  He  sends  afflictions,  and  justly  pun- 
ishes one  sin  with  another.  Isa.  vi.  10. 

2.  A  sense  of  our  own  worthlessness  and  no- 


WHEREIX    HUMILIATION    CONSISTS.  119 

thinsrness  before  him.  Psal.  cxliv.  3.  Looking  to 
the  infinite  Majesty  of  the  mighty  hand  dealing 
with  us,  we  should  say,  with  Abraham,  Gen.  xviii. 
27.  "  Behold,  I  am  but  dust  and  ashes  ;"  and  say 
amen  to  the  cry.  Isa.  xli.  6.  All  flesh  is  grass,  &;c. 
The  keeping  up  of  thoughts  of  our  own  excellency, 
under  the  pressure  of  God's  mighty  hand,  is  the 
very  thing  that  swells  the  heart  in  pride,  causing 
it  to  rise  up  against  it.  And  it  is  the  letting  of  all 
such  thoughts  of  ourselves  fall  before  the  eyes  of 
his  glory,  that  is  the  humbling  required. 

3.  A  sense  of  our  guilt  and  filthiness.  Rom.  iii. 
10.  Isa.  Ixiv.  6.  The  mighty  hand  doth  not  press 
us  down,  but  as  sinners  ;  it  is  meet  then  that  under 
it  we  see  our  sinfulness  ;  our  guilt,  whereby  we 
shall  appear  criminals  justly  caused  to  sufi'er ;  our 
filthiness,  whereupon  we  may  be  brought  to  loath 
ourselves ;  and  then  we  shall  think  nothing  lays 
us  lower  than  we  well  deserve.  It  is  the  over- 
looking our  sinfulness  that  suffers  the  proud  heart 
to  swell. 

4.  A  silent  submission  under  the  hand  of  God. 
His  sovereignty  challengeth  this  of  us,  Rom.  ix. 
20.  •'  Nay  but,  O  man,  who  art  thou  that  repliest 
against  God  ?"  And  nothing  but  unsubdued  pride 
of  spirit  can  allow  us  to  answer  again  under  his 
sovereign  hand.  A  view  of  his  sovereignty  hum- 
bled and  awed  the  Psalmist  into  submission,  with 
a  profound  silence,  Psal.  xxxix.  9.  '*  I  was  dumb, 
I  opened  not  my  mouth,  because  thou  didst  it." — 
Job.  i.  21.     "The  Lord  gave,  and  the  Lord  hath 


120  WHEREIN    HUMILIATION    CONSISTS. 

taken  away ;  blessed  be  the  name  of  the  Lord." — 
And  xl.  4,  5.  "What  shall  1  answer  thee?  I 
will  lay  mine  hand  upon  my  mouth.  Once  have  I 
spoken,  but  I  will  not  answer ;  yea,  twice,  but  I 
will  proceed  no  farther."  And  Eli,  1  Sam.  iii.  18. 
"  It  is  the  Lord ;  let  him  do  what  seemeth  him 
good." 

5.  A  magnifying  of  his  mercies  towards  us  in 
the  midst  of  all  his  proceedings  against  us,  Psal. 
cxliv.  3.  Has  he  lain  us  low?  If  we  be  duly 
humbled,  we  shall  wonder  he  has  laid  us  no  lower. 
Ezra  ix.  13.  For  however  low  the  humble  are 
laid,  they  will  see  they  are  not  yet  so  low  as  their 
sins  deserve.  Lam.  iii.  22. 

6.  A  holy  and  silent  admiration  of  the  ways  and 
counsels  of  God,  as  to  us  unsearchable.  Rom.  xi. 
33.  Pride  of  heart  thinks  nothing  too  high  for 
the  man,  and  so  arraigns  before  its  tribunal  the 
divine  proceedings,  pretends  to  see  through  them, 
censures  freely  and  condemns  ;  but  humiliation  of 
spirit  disposes  a  man  to  think  awfully  and  honour- 
ably of  those  mysteries  of  Providence  he  is  not 
able  to  see  through. 

7.  A  forgetting  and  laying  aside  before  the  Lord 
all  our  dignity,  whereby  we  excel  others,  Rev.  iv. 
10.  Pride  feeds  itself  on  the  man's  real  or  imagi- 
nary personal  excellency  and  dignity,  and,  being 
so  inured  to  it  before  others,  cannot  forget  it  before 
God,  Luke  xviii.  11.  "  God,  I  thank  thee  I  am 
not  as  other  men."  But  humiliation  of  spirit  makes 
it  all  to  vanish  before  him  as  doth  the  shadow  be- 
fore the  shining  sun,  and  it  lays  the  man,  in  his 


WHEREIN    HUMILIATION    CONSISTS.  121 

o^vn  eyes,  lower  than  any,  "  Surely  I  am  more 
brutish  than  anv  man,  and  have  not  the  understaud- 
iu(T  of  a  man."  Prov.  xxx.  2. 

8.  A  submitting  readily  to  the  meanest  offices 
requisite  in,  or  agreeable  to  our  circumstances. 
Pride  at  every  turn  finds  something  that  is  below 
the  man  to  condescend  or  stoop  to,  measuring  by 
his  own  mind  and  will,  not  by  the  circumstances 
God  has  placed  him  in.  But  humility  measures 
by  the  circumstances  one  is  placed  in,  and  readily 
Calls  in  with  what  they  require.  Hereof  our  Sa- 
viour gave  us  an  example  to  be  imitated,  Phil.  ii.  8. 
"  Being  found  in  fashion  as  a  man  he  humbled  him- 
self,  and  became  obedient  unto  death."  John  xiii. 
14.  "If  I  then,  your  Lord  and  Master,  have 
washed  your  feet,  ye  ought  also  to  wash  one  ano- 
ther's feet." 

Use.  Of  exhortation.  Let  the  bent  of  your  heart 
then,  in  all  your  humbling  circumstances,  be  to- 
wards the  humbling  of  your  spirit,  as  under  the 
mighty  hand  of  God.     This  lies  in  two  things. 

1.  Carefully  notice  all  your  humbling  circum- 
stances, and  overlook  none  of  them.  Observe 
your  imperfections  ;  inferiority  in  relations  ;  con- 
tradictions you  meet  with ;  your  afflictions  ;  un- 
certainty of  all  things  about  you ;  and  your  sinful- 
ness.— Look  through  them  designedly,  and  con- 
sider the  steps  of  the  conduct  of  Providence  toward 
you  in  these,  that  ye  may  know  yourselves,  and 
may  not  be  strangers  at  home,  blind  to  your  own 
real  state  and  case. 

2.  Observe  what  these  circumstances  require  of 

11 


122  MOTIVES   FOR   ATTAINING   IT. 

you,  as  suitable  to  them ;  bend  your  endeavours 
towards  it,  to  bring  your  spirits  into  that  temper  of 
humiliation,  that,  as  your  lot  is  really  low  in  all 
these  respects,  so  your  spirits  may  be  low  too,  as 
under  the  mighty  hand  of  God.  Let  this  be  your 
great  aim  through  your  whole  life,  and  your  exer- 
cise every  day. 

Motive  1.  God  is  certainly  at  work  to  humble 
one  and  all  of  us.  However  high  any  are  lifted 
up  in  this  world,  Providence  has  hung  certain 
badges  for  humiliation  on  them,  whether  they  will 
notice  them  or  not,  Isa.  xl.  6.  Now,  it  is  our  duty 
to  fall  in  with  the  design  of  providence,  that  while 
God  is  humbling  us,  we  may  be  humbling  our- 
selves, aad  that  we  may  not  receive  humbling  dis- 
pensations in  -vain. 

2.  The  humiliation  of  our  spirit  will  not  take 
effect  without  our  own  agency  therein  :  while  God 
is  working  on  us  that  way,  we  must  work  together 
with  him ;  for  he  works  on  us  as  rational  agents, 
who  being  moved,  move  themselves,  Phil.  ii.  12, 
13.  God  by  his  providence  may  force  down  our 
lot  and  condition  without  us,  but  the  spirit  must 
come  down  voluntarily  and  of  choice,  or  not  at  all ; 
therefore,  strike  in  with  humbling  providences  in 
humbling  yourselves,  as  mariners  spread  out  the 
sails  when  the  wind  begins  to  blow,  that  they  may 
go  away  before  it. 

3.  If  ye  do  not,  ye  resist  the  mighty  hand  of 
God,  Acts.  vii.  51.  Ye  resist  in  so  far  as  ye  do 
not  yield,  but  stand  as  a  rock  keeping  your  ground 
against  your  Maker  in  humbling  providences,  Jer. 


MOTIVES    FOR    ATTAINING    IT.  123 

V.  3.  "  Thou  hast  stricken  them,  but  they  have  not 
grieved  ;  thou  hast  consumed  them,  but  they  have 
refused  to  receive  correction.  They  have  made 
their  faces  harder  than  a  rock  ;  they  have  refused 
to  return."  Much  more  when  ye  work  against 
him  to  force  up  your  condition,  which  ye  may  see 
God  means  to  hold  down.  And  of  this  resistance 
consider, 

(1.)  The  sinfulness  :  what  an  evil  thing  it  is. 
It  is  a  direct  fighting  against  God,  a  shaking  off  of 
subjection  to  our  sovereign  Lord,  and  a  rising  in 
rebellion  against  him.  Isa.  xlv.  9. 

(2.)  The  folly  of  it.  How  unequal  is  the  match  ! 
How  can  the  struggle  end  well?  Job  ix.  4.  What 
else  can  possibly  be  the  issue  of  the  potsherds  of 
the  earth  dashing  against  the  Rock  of  Ages,  but 
that  they  be  broken  to  pieces  ?  All  men  must  cer- 
tainly bow  or  break  under  the  mighty  hand  of  God. 
Job  xli.  8. 

4.  This  is  the  time  of  humiliation,  even  the 
time  of  this  life.  Every  thing  is  beautiful  in  its 
season  ;  and  the  bringing  down  of  the  spirit  now 
is  beautiful,  as  in  the  time  thereof,  even  as  the 
plowing  and  sowing  of  the  ground  is  in  the  spring. 
Consider, 

(1.)  Humiliation  of  spirit  is  in  the  sight  of  God 
of  great  price,  1  Pet.  iii.  4.  As  he  has  a  special 
aversion  to  pride  of  heart,  he  has  a  special  liking 
of  humility,  chap.  v.  5.  The  humbling  of  sinners 
and  bringing  them  down  from  their  heights,  where- 
in the  corruption  of  their  nature  has  set  them,  is 
the  great  end  of  his  word,  and  of  his  providences. 


Mli 


124  MOTIVES    FOR    ATTAINING    IT. 

(2.)  It  is  no  easy  thing  to  humble  men's  spirits  ; 
it  is  not  a  little  that  will  do  it ;  it  is  a  work  that  is 
not  soon  done.  There  is  need  of  a  digging  deep 
for  a  thorough  humiliation  in  the  work  of  conver- 
sion, Luke  Yi.  48.  Many  a  stroke  must  be  given 
at  the  root  of  the  tree  of  the  natural  pride  of  the 
heart  ere  it  fall ;  ofttimes  it  seems  to  be  fallen,  and 
yet,  it  arises  again.  And,  even  when  the  root 
stroke  is  given  in  believers,  the  rod  of  pride  buds 
again,  so  that  there  is  still  occasion  for  new  hum- 
bling work. 

(3.)  The  whole  time  of  this  life  is  appointed  for 
humiliation.  This  was  signified  by  the  forty 
years  the  Israelites  had  in  the  wilderness,  Deut. 
viii.  2.  It  was  so  to  Christ,  and  therefore  it  must 
be  so  to  men,  Heb.  xii.  2.  And  in  that  time  they 
must  either  be  formed  according  to  his  image,  or 
else  appear  as  reprobate  silver  that  will  not  take  it 
on  by  any  means,  Rom.  viii.  29.  So  that  what- 
ever lifting  up  men  may  now  and  then  get  in  this 
life,  the  habitual  course  of  it  will  still  be  hum- 
bling. 

(4.)  There  is  no  humbling  after  this.  Rev.  xxii. 
11.  If  the  pride  of  the  heart  be  not  brought  down 
in  this  life,  it  will  never  be  ;  no  kindly  humiliation 
is  to  be  expected  in  the  other  life.  There  the 
proud  will  be  broken  in  pieces,  but  not  softened ; 
their  lot  and  condition  will  be  brought  to  the  lowest 
pass,  but  the  unhumbleness  of  their  spirits  will 
still  remain,  whence  they  will  be  in  eternal  ago- 
nies through  the  opposition  betwixt  their  spirits 
and  lot,  Rev.  xvi.  21. 


MOTIVES    FOR    ATTAINING    IT.  125 

Wherefore,  beware  lest  ye  sit  your  time  of  hu- 
miliation :  humbled  we  must  be,  or  we  are  gone  for 
ever ;  and  this  is  the  time,  the  only  time  of  it ; 
therefore,  make  your  hay  while  the  sun  shines  ; 
strike  in  with  humbling  providences,  and  fight  not 
against  them  while  ye  have  them.  Acts  xiii.  41. 
The  season  of  grace  will  not  last ;  if  ye  sleep  in 
seed  time,  ye  will  beg  in  harvest. 

5.  This  is  the  way  to  turn  humbling  circum- 
stances to  a  good  account ;  so  that  instead  of  being 
losers  ye  would  be  gainers  by  them,  Psal.  cxix.  71. 
"  It  is  good  for  me  that  I  have  been  afflicted." 
Would  ye  gather  grapes  of  these  thorns  and  this- 
tles, set  yourselves  to  get  your  spirits  humbled  by 
them. 

Humiliation  of  spirit  is  a  most  valuable  thing 
in  itself,  Prov.  xvi.  32.  It  cannot  be  bought  too 
dear.  Whatever  one  is  made  to  suffer,  if  his  spirit 
is  thereby  duly  brought  down,  he  has  what  is  well 
•worth  bearing  all  the  hardships  for,  1  Pet.  iii.  4. 

Humility  of  spirit  brings  many  advantages  along 
with  it.  It  is  a  fruitful  bough,  well  loaden, 
wherever  it  is.  It  contributes  to  one's  ease  under 
the  cross,  Matt.  xi.  30 ;  Lam.  iii.  27 — 29.  It  is 
a  sacrifice  particularly  acceptable  to  God,  Psal.  li. 
17.  The  eye  of  God  is  particularly  on  such  for 
good,  Isa.  Ixvi.  2,  "  To  this  man  will  I  look,  even 
to  him  that  is  poor,  and  of  a  contrite  spirit,  and 
trembleth  at  my  word."  Yea,  he  dwells  with 
them,  Isa.  Ivii.  15.  And  it  carries  a  line  of  wis- 
dom through  one's  whole  conduct,  Prov.  xi.  2. 
"  With  the  lowly  is  wisdom." 

11* 


126  DIRECTIONS    FOR    THIS    PURPOSE. 

6.  Consider  it  is  a  mighty  hand  that  is  at  work 
with  us  ;  the  hand  of  the  mighty  God  ;  let  us  then 
bend  our  spirits  towards  a  compliance  with  it,  and 
not  wrestle  against  it.     Consider, 

(1.)  We  must  fall  under  it.  Since  the  design 
of  it  is  to  bring  us  down,  we  cannot  stand  before 
it ;  for  it  cannot  miscarry  in  its  designs,  Isa.  xlvi. 
10.  "  My  counsel  shall  stand."  So  fall  before  it 
we  must,  either  in  the  way  of  duty  or  judgment, 
Psal.  xlvi.  5.  "Thine  arrows  are  sharp  in  the 
heart  of  the  king's  enemies,  whereby  the  people 
fall  under  thee." 

(2.)  They  that  are  so  wise  as  to  fall  in  humilia- 
tion under  the  mighty  hand,  be  they  ever  so  low, 
the  same  hand  will  raise  them  up  again,  James  iv. 
10.  In  a  word,  be  the  proud  ever  so  high,  God 
will  bring  them  down  :  be  the  humble  ever  so  low, 
God  will  raise  them  up. 

Directions  for  reaching  this  humiliation, 

I.  General  Directions. 

Direct.  1.  Fix  it  in  your  heart  to  seek  some 
spiritual  improvement  of  the  conduct  of  Providence 
towards  you,  Micah  vi.  9.  Till  once  your  heart 
get  a  set  that  way,  your  humiliation  is  not  to  be 
expected,  Hosea  xiv.  9.  But  nothing  is  more  rea- 
sonable, if  we  would  act  either  like  men  or  Chris- 
tians, than  to  aim  at  turning  what  is  so  grievous  to 
the  flesh  unto  the  profit  of  the  spirit ;  that  if  we 
are  losers  on  one  hand,  we  may  be  gainers  on 
another. 


DIRECTIONS    FOR    THIS    PURPOSE.  127 

2.  Settle  the  matter  of  your  eternal  salvation,  in 
the  first  place,  by  betaking  yourself  to  Christ,  and 
taking  God  for  your  God  in  him,  according  to  the 
gospel-offer,  Hos.  ii.  19.  ;  Heb.  viii.  10.  Let  your 
humbling  circumstances  move  you  to  this,  and 
while  the  creature  dries  up,  you  may  go  to  the 
Fountain  :  for  it  is  impossible  to  reach  due  humili- 
ation under  his  mighty  hand,  without  faith  in  him 
as  your  God  and  friend,  Heb.  xi.  6  ;   1  John  iv.  19. 

3.  Use  the  means  of  soul-humbling  in  the  faith 
of  the  promise,  Psal,  xxviii.  7.  Moses,  smiting 
the  rock  in  faith  of  the  promise,  made  water  gush 
out,  which  otherwise  would  not  at  all  have  appear- 
ed.    Let  us  do  likewise  in  dealing  with  our  rocky 

^hearts.  They  must  be  laid  on  the  soft  bed  of  the 
gospel,  and  struck  there,  as  Joel  ii.  13.  "Turn  to 
the  Lord  vour  God,  for  he  is  grracious  and  merci- 
ful :"  or  they  will  never  kindly  break  or  fall  in  hu- 
miliation. 

II.  Particular  Directions. 

1.  Assure  yourselves  that  there  are  no  circum- 
stances that  you  are  in  so  humbling,  but  you  may 
get  your  heart  acceptably  brought  down  to  them, 
1  Cor.  X.  13.  "  But  God  is  faithful,  who  will  not 
Buffer  you  to  be  tempted  above  that  ye  are  able,  but 
will  with  the  temptation  also  make  a  way  to  escape, 
that  ye  may  be  able  to  bear  it."  This  is  truth,  2 
Cor.  xii.  9.  "  My  grace  is  sufficient  for  thee  ;  for 
my  strength  is  made  perfect  in  weakness."  And 
you  should  be  persuaded  of  it,  with  application  to 
yourselves,   if   ever   you   would   reach   the   end. 


128  DIRECTIONS    FOR    THIS    PURPOSE. 

Phil.  iv.  13.  "I  can  do  all  things  through  Christ 
which  strengtheneth  me."  God  allows  you  to  be 
persuaded  of  it,  whatever  is  your  weakness  and 
the  difficulty  of  the  task.  "  For  our  sakes  this  is 
written,  That  he  that  ploweth  should  plow  in  hope ; 
and  he  that  thresheth  in  hope,  should  be  partaker 
of  his  hope."  1  Cor.  ix.  10.  And  the  belief  there- 
of is  a  piece  of  the  life  of  faith,  2  Tim.  ii.  1.  If 
you  have  no  hope  of  success,  your  endeavours,  as 
they  will  be  heartless,  so  they  will  be  vain. 
"  Wherefore  lift  up  the  hands  that  hang  down,  and 
the  feeble  knees."     Heb.  xii.  12. 

2.  Whatever  hand  is,  or  is  not,  in  your  hum- 
bling circumstances,  do  you  take  God  for  your 
party,  and  consider  yourselves  therein  as  under  his 
mighty  hand,  Micah  vi.  9.  Men  in  their  humbling 
circumstances  overlook  God ;  so  they  find  not 
themselves  called  to  humility  under  them ;  they 
fix  their  eyes  on  the  creature  instrument,  and  in- 
stead of  humility,  their  hearts  rise.  But  take  him 
for  your  party  that  ye  may  remember  the  battle, 
and  do  no  more.     Job  xli.  8. 

3.  Be  much  in  the  thoughts  of  God's  infinite 
greatness ;  consider  his  holiness  and  majesty,  to 
awe  you  into  the  deepest  humiliation,  Isa.  vi.  3 — 
5.  Job  met  with  many  humbling  providences  in 
his  case,  but  he  was  never  sufficiently  humbled 
under  them,  till  the  Lord  made  a  new  discovery 
of  himself  unto  him,  in  his  infinite  majesty  and 
greatness.  He  kept  his  ground  against  his  friends, 
and  stood  to  his  points,  till  the  Lord  took  that  me- 
thod with  him.     It  was  begun  with  thunder,  Job 


DIRECTIONS    FOR    THIS    PURPOSE.  3  29 

xxxvii.  1,  2.  Then  followed  God's  voice  out  of 
the  whirlwind,  chap  xxxviii.  1,  whereon  Job  is 
brought  down,  chap.  xl.  4,  5.  It  is  renewed  till  he 
is  farther  humbled,  chap.  xlii.  5,  6.  "  Wherefore 
1  abhor  myself,  and  repent  in  dust  and  ashes." 

4.  Inure  yourselves  silently  to  admit  mysteries 
in  the  conduct  of  Providence  towards  you,  which 
you  are  not  able  to  comprehend,  but  will  adore, 
Rom.  xi.  33.  "  O  the  depth  of  the  riches,  both  of 
the  wisdom  and  knowledge  of  God!  how  unsearch- 
able are  his  judgments,  and  his  ways  past  finding 
out !"  That  was  the  first  word  God  said  to  Job, 
xxxviii.  2.  "  Who  is  this  that  darkeneth  counsel 
by  words  without  knowledge  ?"  It  went  to  his 
heart,  stuck  with  him,  and  he  comes  over  it  again, 
chap.  xlii.  3,  as  that  which  particularly  brought  him 
to  his  knees,  to  the  dust.  Even  in  those  steps  of 
Providence,  which  we  seem  to  see  far  into,  we 
may  well  allow  there  are  some  mysteries  beyond 
what  we  see.  And  in  those  which  are  perplexing 
and  puzzling,  sovereignty  should  silence  us  ;  his 
infinite  wisdom  should  satisfy  though  we  cannot 
see. 

5.  Be  much  in  the  thoughts  of  your  own  sinful- 
ness, Job  xl.  4.  "  Behold  I  am  vile,  what  shall  I 
answer  thee  ?  I  will  lay  mine  hand  upon  my 
mouth."  It  is  overlooking  of  that,  which  gives  us 
so  much  ado  with  humbling  circumstances.  While 
the  eyes  are  held  that  they  cannot  see  sin,  the  heart 
riseth  against  them ;  but  when  they  are  opened,  it 
falls.  Wherefore,  whenever  God  is  dealing  with 
you  in  humbling  dispensations,  turn  your  eyes,  up- 


130  DIRECTIONS    FOR    THIS    PURPOSE. 

on  that  occasion,  on  the  sinfulness  of  your  nature, 
heart  and  life,  and  that  will  help  forward  your  hu- 
miliation. 

6.  Settle  it  in  your  heart,  that  there  is  need  of 
all  the  humbling  circumstances  you  are  put  in. 
This  is  truth,  1  Pet.  i.  6.  "  Though  now  for  a 
season  (if  need  be)  ye  are  in  heaviness  through 
manifold  temptations."  God  brings  no  needless 
trials  upon  us,  afflicts  none  but  as  their  need  re- 
quires, Lam.  iii.  33.  "  For  he  doth  not  afflict  wil- 
lingly, nor  grieve  the  children  of  men."  That  is 
an  observable  difference  betwixt  our  earthly  and 
our  heavenly  Father's  correction,  Heb.  xii.  10. 
"  They,  after  their  own  pleasure ;  but  he  for  our 
profit,  that  we  might  be  partakers  of  his  holiness." 
Look  to  the  temper  of  your  own  hearts  and  nature, 
how  apt  to  be  lifted  up,  to  forget  God,  to  be  carried 
away  with  the  vanities  of  the  world :  what  fool- 
ishness is  bound  up  in  your  heart !  Thus  you  will 
see  the  need  of  humbling  circumstances  for  bal- 
last, and  of  the  rod  for  the  fool's  back ;  and  if  at 
any  time  you  cannot  see  that  need,  believe  it  on 
the  ground  of  God's  infinite  wisdom,  that  does  no- 
thing in  vain. 

7.  Believe  a  kind  design  of  providence  in  them 
towards  you.  God  calls  us  to  this,  as  the  key  that 
opens  the  heart  under  them,  Rev.  iii.  19.  Satan 
suggests  suspicions  to  the  contrary,  as  the  bar 
which  may  hold  it  shut,  2  Kings  vi.  33.  "  This 
evil  is  of  the  Lord,  what  should  I  wait  for  the 
Lord  any  longer  ?"  As  long  as  the  suspicion  of  an 
ill  design  in  them  against  us  reigns,  the  creature 


ADDITIONAL    MOTIVES    URGED.  131 

will,  like  the  worm  at  the  man*s  feet,  put  itself  in 
the  best  posture  of  defence  it  can,  and  harden  it- 
self in  sorrow  :  but  the  faith  of  a  kind  design  will 
cause  it  to  open  out  itself  in  humility  before  him. 

Case.  "  0  !  if  1  knew  there  were  a  kind  desisrn 
in  it,  I  would  willingly  bear  it,  although  there  were 
more  of  it ;  but  I  fear  a  ruining  design  of  Provi- 
dence against  me  therein." 

Ans.  Now,  what  word  of  God,  or  discovery  from 
Heaven,  have  you  to  ground  these  fears  upon  ? 
None  at  all  but  from  hell,  1  Cor.  x.  13.  What 
think  you  the  design  towards  you  in  the  gospel  is  ? 
Can  you  believe  no  kind  design  in  all  the  words 
of  grace  there  heaped  up  ?  What  is  that,  I  pray, 
but  black  unbelief  in  its  hue  of  hell,  flying  in  the 
face  of  the  truth  of  God,  and  making  him  a  liar. 
Isa.  Iv.  1  ;  1  John  v.  10,  11.  The  gospel  is  a  breath- 
ing of  love  and  good-will  to  the  world  of  mankind 
sinners,  Titus  ii.  1 1  ;  iii.  3,  4  ;  1  John  iv,  11 ;  John 
iii.  17.  But  ye  believe  it  not,  in  that  case,  more 
than  devils  believe  it.  If  he  can  believe  a  kind 
design  there,  ye  must  believe  it  in  your  humbling 
circumstances  too ;  for  the  design  of  Providence 
cannot  be  contrary  to  the  design  of  the  gospel ;  but 
contrariwise,  the  latter  is  to  help  forward  to  the 
other. 

8,  Think  with  yourselves,  that  this  life  is  the 
time  of  trial  for  heaven,  James  i.  12.  "  Blessed  is 
the  man  that  endureth  temptation  ;  for  when  he  is 
tried,  he  shall  receive  the  crown  of  life  which  the 
Lord  hath  promised  to  them  that  love  him."  And 
therefore  there  should  be  a  welcoming  of  humbling 


132  ADDITIONAL   MOTIVES    URGED. 

circumstances  in  that  view,  ver.  2.  "  Count  it  all 
joy  when  ye  fall  into  clivers  temptations."  If  there 
is  an  honourable  office,  or  beneficial  employment 
to  be  bestowed,  men  strive  to  be  taken  on  trial  for 
it,  in  hope  they  may  be  thereupon  legally  admitted 
to  it.  Now  God  takes  trial  of  men  for  heaven 
by  humbling  circumstances,  as  the  whole  Bible 
teacheth  ;  and  shall  men  be  so  very  loth  to  stoop 
to  them  ?     I  would  ask  you. 

(1.)  Is  it  nothing  to  you  to  stand  a  candidate  for 
glory,  to  be  put  on  trial  for  heaven  ?  Is  there  not 
an  honour  in  it,  an  honour  which  all  the  saints 
have  had?  James  v.  10,  11.  "Behold  we  count 
them  happy  that  endure,"  &c.  And  a  fair  pros- 
pect in  it,  2  Cor.  iv.  17.  "  For  our  light  affliction, 
which  is  but  for  a  moment,  worketh  for  us  a  far 
more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of  glory."  Do 
but  put  the  case,  that  God  should  overlook  you  in 
that  case,  as  one  whom  it  is  needless  ever  to  try 
on  that  head ;  that  he  should  order  you  your  por- 
tion in  this  life  with  full  ease,  as  one  that  is  to  get 
no  more  of  him  ;  what  would  that  be  ? 

(2.)  What  a  vast  disproportion  is  there  between 
your  trials  and  the  future  glory  ?  Your  most  hum- 
bling circumstances,  how  light  are  they  in  com- 
parison of  the  weight  of  it !  The  longest  con- 
tinuance of  them  is  but  for  a  moment,  compared 
with  that  eternal  weight.  Alas  !  there  is  much 
unbelief  at  the  root  of  all  our  uneasiness  under  our 
humbling  circumstances.  Had  we  a  clearer  view 
of  the  other  world,  we  should  not  make  so  much  of 
either  the  smiles  or  frowns  of  this. 


ADDITIONAL    MOTIVES    URGED.  133 

(3.)  What  think  ye  of  coming  foul  off  in  the 
trial  of  your  humbling  circumstances?  Jer.  vi.  29, 
30.  "  The  lead  is  consumed  of  the  fire ;  the 
founder  melteth  in  vain ;  for  the  wicked  are  uot 
plucked  away.  Reprobate  silver  shall  men  call 
them,  because  the  Lord  hath  rejected  them."  That 
the  issue  of  it  be  only,  that  your  heart  appear  of 
such  a  temper  as  by  no  means  to  be  humbled  ;  aud 
that  therefore  you  must  and  shall  be  taken  off  them, 
while  yet  no  humbling  appears.  I  think  the  aw- 
fulness  of  the  dispensation  is  such,  as  might  set  us 
to  our  knees  to  deprecate  the  lifting  us  up  from  our 
humbling  circumstances,  ere  our  hearts  are  hum- 
bled, Isa.  i.  5.  Ezek.  xxiv.  13. 

9.  Think  with  yourselves,  how,  by  humbling  cir- 
cumstances, the  Lord  prepares  us  for  heaven,  "  Giv- 
ing thanks  unto  the  Father,  who  hath  made  us 
meet  to  be  partakers  of  the  inheritance  of  the  saints 
in  light,"  Col.  i.  12  ;  2  Cor.  v.  5.  The  stones  and 
timber  are  laid  down,  turned  over  and  over,  and 
hewed,  ere  they  be  set  up  in  the  building  ;  and  not 
set  up  just  as  they  come  out  of  the  quarry  and  wood. 
Were  they  capable  of  a  choice,  such  of  them  as 
would  refuse  the  iron  tool  would  be  refused  a  place 
in  the  building.  Pray,  how  think  ye  to  be  made 
meet  for  heaven,  by  the  warm  sunshine  of  this 
world's  ease,  and  getting  all  your  will  here  ?  Nay, 
Sirs,  that  would  put  your  mouth  out  of  taste  for  the 
joys  of  the  other  world.  Vessels  of  dishonour  are 
fitted  for  destruction  that  way  ;  but  vessels  of  hon- 
our for  glory  by  humbling  circumstances.  I  would 
here  say, 

12 


134  ADDITIONAL    MOTIVES    URGED.        ^  -t_^ 

f  (1.)  Will  nothing  please  you  but  two  heavens,  "' 
/  one  here,  another  hereafter?  God  has  secured 
one  heaven,  for  the  saints,  one  place  where  they 
shall  get  all  their  will,  wish,  and  desire  ;  where 
there  shall  be  no  weight  on  them  to  hold  thetn 
down ;  and  that  is  in  the  other  world.  But  ye 
must  have  it  both  here  and  there,  or  ye  cannot  di- 
gest it.  Why  do  you  not  quarrel  too,  that  there 
are  not  two  summers  in  one  year ;  two  days  in  the 
twenty-four  hours  ?  The  order  of  the  one  heaven 
is  as  firm  as  that  of  the  years  and  days,  and  ye 
cannot  reverse  it ;  therefore,  chose  ye  whether  you 
will  take  your  night  or  your  day  first,  your  winter 
or  your  summer,  your  heaven  here  or  hereafter. 

(2.)  Without  being  humbled  with  humbling  cir- 
cumstances in  this  life,  ye  are  not  capable  of  heaven, 
2  Cor.  v.  5.  "  Now,  he  that  hath  wrought  us  for 
the  self-same  thing  is  God."  You  may  indeed  lie 
at  ease  here  in  a  bed  of  sloth,  and  dream  of  heaven, 
bic  with  hopes  of  a  fool's  paradise,  wishing  to  cast 
yourselves  just  out  of  Delilah's  lap  into  Abraham's 
bosom  ;  but  except  ye  be  humbled,  ye  are  not 
capable. 

(3.)  Of  the  Bible-heaven,  that  heaven  described 
in  the  Old  and  New  Testaments.  Is  not  that  hea- 
ven a  lifting  up  in  due  time  ?  But,  how  shall  ye  be 
Hfted  up  that  are  never  well  got  down  ?  Where 
will  your  tears  be  to  be  wiped  away  ?  What  place 
will  there  be  for  your  triumph,  who  will  not  fight 
the  good  fight  ?  How  can  it  be  a  rest  to  you,  who 
cannot  submit  to  labour  ? 

(4.)  Of  the  saints' heaven,  Rev.  vii.  14.     "And    . 


ADDITIONAL    MOTIVES    URGED.  135 

he  said  unto  me,  These  are  ihey  which  came  out 
of  great  tribulation,  and  have  washed  their  robes, 
and  made  them  white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb." 
This  answers  the  question  about  Abraham,  Isaac 
and  Jacob,  and  all  the  saints  with  them  there  :  they 
were  brought  down  to  the  dust  by  humbling  cir- 
cumstances, and  out  of  these  they  came  before  the 
throne.  How  can  ye  ever  think  to  be  lifted  up 
with  them  with  whom  ye  cannot  think  to  be  brought 
down  ? 

(5.)  Of  Christ's  heaven,  Heb.  xii.  2.  "  Who 
for  the  joy  that  was  set  before  him,  endured  the 
cross,  despising  the  shame,  and  is  now  set  down 
at  the  right  hand  of  God."  0  !  consider  how  the 
Forerunner  made  his  way,  Luke.  xxiv.  26.  "  Ought 
not  Christ  to  have  suffered  these  things,  and  to 
enter  into  his  glory  ?"  And  lay  your  account  with 
it,  that  if  ye  get  where  he  is,  ye  must  go  thither  as 
he  went,  Luke.  ix.  23.  "  And  he  said.  If  any 
man  will  come  after  me,  let  him  deny  himself,  and 
take  up  his  cross  daily,  and  follow  me." 

10.  Give  up  at  length  with  your  towering  hopes 
from  this  world,  and  confine  them  to  the  world  to 
come.  Be  as  pilgrims  and  strangers  here,  looking 
for  your  rest  in  heaven,  and  not  till  you  come  there. 
There  is  a  prevailing  evil,  Isa.  Ivii.  10.  *'  Thou 
art  wearied  in  the  greatness  of  thy  way  :  yet  said- 
est  thou  not,  There  is  no  hope."  So  the  Babel- 
building  is  still  continued,  though  it  has  fallen  down 
again  and  again  :  for  men  say,  "  The  bricks  are 
fallen  down,  but  we  will  build  with  hewn  stones  ; 
the  sycamores  are  cut  down,  but  we  will  change 


136  ADDITIONAL  DIRECTIONS  GIVEN. 

them  into  cedars."  Isa.  ix.  10.  This  makes  hum- 
bling work  very  longsome ;  we  are  so  hard  to 
quit  hold  of  the  creature,  to  fall  off"  from  the  breast 
and  be  weaned  :  but  fasten  on  the  other  world,  and 
let  your  hold  of  this  go  ;  so  shall  ye  "  be  humbled" 
indeed  under  "  the  mighty  hand."  The  faster  you 
hold  the  happiness  of  that  world,  the  easier  will  it 
be  to  accommodate  yourselves  to  your  humbling 
circumstances  here. 

11.  Make  use  of  Christ  in  all  his  offices,  for 
your  humiliation  under  your  humbling  circum- 
stances. That  only  is  kindly  humiliation  that 
comes  in  this  way,  Zech.  xii.  10.  "  And  they 
shall  look  upon  me  whom  they  have  pierced,  and 
they  shall  mourn,"  &c.  This  you  must  do  by 
trusting  on  him  for  that  effect. 

(1.)  As  a  priest  for  you.  You  have  a  conscience, 
full  of  guilt,  and  that  will  make  one  uneasy  in  any 
circumstances  ;  and  far  more  in  humbling  circum- 
stances ;  it  will  be  like  a  thorn  in  the  shoulder 
on  which  a  burden  is  laid.  But  the  blood  of  Christ 
will  purge  the  conscience,  draw  out  the  thorn, 
give  ease,  Isa.  xxxiii.  24,  and  fit  for  service,  doing 
or  sufll'ering,  Heb.  ix.  14.  "  How  much  more  shall 
the  blood  of  Christ — purge  your  conscience  from 
dead  works  to  serve  the  living  God  ?" 

(2.)  As  your  Prophet  to  teach  you.  We  have 
need  to  be  taught  rightly  to  discern  our  humbling 
circumstances  ;  for,  often  we  mistake  them  so  far 
that  they  prove  an  oppressive  load  ;  whereas,  could 
we  rightly  see  them,  just  as  God  sets  them  to  us, 
they  would  be  humbling,  but  not  so  oppressive. 


THE  HUMBLE  SHALL  BE  LIFTED  UP.  137 

Truly  we  need  Christ,  and  the  Ught  of  his  word 
and  Spirit,  to  let  us  see  our  cross  and  trial  as  well 
as  our  duty,  Psal.  xxv.  9,  10. 

(3.)  As  your  King.  You  have  a  stiff  heart,  loth 
to  bow,  even  in  humbling  circumstances  :  take  a 
lesson  from  Moses  what  to  do  in  such  a  case,  Exod. 
xxxiv.  9.  "  And  he  saith.  Let  my  Lord,  I  pray 
thee,  go  amongst  us,  (for  it  is  a  stiff-necked  people,) 
and  pardon  our  iniquity  and  our  sin."  Put  it  ia 
his  hand  that  is  strong  and  mighty,  Psal.  xxiv.  8, 
He  is  able  to  cause  it  to  melt,  and,  like  wax  before 
the  fire,  turn  to  the  seal. 

Think  on  these  directions,  in  order  to  put  them 
in  practice,  remembering  :  If  ye  know  these  things, 
happy  are  ye  if  ye  do  them.  Remember  humbling 
work  is  a  work  that  will  fill  your  hand,  while  you 
live  here,  and  that  you  cannot  come  to  the  end  of 
it  till  death  ;  and  humbling  circumstances  will  at- 
tend you,  while  you  are  in  this  lower  world.  A 
change  of  them  ye  may  get ;  but  a  freedom  from 
them  ye  cannot,  till  ye  come  to  heaven.  So  the 
humbling  circumstances  of  our  imperfections,  re- 
lations, contradictions,  afflictions,  uncertainties, 
and  sinfulness,  will  afford  matter  of  exercise  to  us 
while  here. — What  remains  of  the  purpose  of  this 
text,  I  shall  comprise  in, 

DocT.  n.  Tlicre  is  a  due  time^  ichcrcin  those  that 
now  humble  themselves  under  the  mighty  hand  of 
God  will  certainly  he  lifted  up. 

1.  Those  who  shall  share  of  this  lifting  up,  must 
lay  their  account,  in  the  first  place,  with  a  casting 

12* 


138  HUMILIATION  NECESSARY. 

down,  Rev.  vii.  14  ;  John  xvi.  33.  "  In  the  world 
ye  shall  have  tribulation."  There  is  no  coming  to 
the  promised  land,  according  to  the  settled  method 
of  grace,  but  through  the  wilderness  ;  nor  entering 
into  this  exaltation,  but  through  a  strait  gate.  If 
we  cannot  away  with  the  casting  down  we  shall 
not  taste  the  sweet  of  the  lifting  up. 

2.  Being  cast  down  by  the  mighty  hand  of  God, 
we  must  learn  to  lie  still  and  quiet  under  it,  till  the 
same  hand  that  cast  us  down  raise  us  up,  if  we 
would  share  of  this  promised  lifting  up,  Lam.  iii. 
27.  It  is  not  the  being  cast  down  into  humbling 
circumstances,  by  the  providence  of  God,  but  the 
coming  down  of  our  spirits  under  them,  by  the 
grace  of  God,  that  brings  us  within  the  compass  of 
this  promise. 

3.  Those  who  are  never  humbled  in  humbling 
circumstances  shall  never  be  lifted  up  in  the  way 
of  this  promise.  Men  may  keep  their  spirits  on 
the  high  bend  in  their  humbling  circumstances,  and 
in  that  case  may  get  a  lifting  up,  Prov.  xvi.  19  ; 
but  such  a  lifting  up,  as  will  end  in  a  more  grievous 
fall.  "  Surely  thou  didst  set  them  in  slippery 
places,  thou  castedst  them  down  in  a  moment." 
Psal,  Ixxiii.  18.  But  they  who  will  not  humble 
themselves  in  humbling  circumstances,  will  find 
that  their  obstinacy  will  keep  their  misery  ever 
fast  on  them  without  remedy. 

4.  Humility  of  spirit,  in  humbling  circumstances, 
ascertains  a  lifting  up  out  of  them  some  time,  with 
the  good  will  and  favour  of  heaven,  Luke,  xviii. 
14.     "I  tell  you  this  man  went  down  to  his  house 


THERE  MUST  BE  A  WAIFINO  TIME.  139 

justified  rather  than  than  the  other  ;  for  every  one 
that  exalteth  himself  shall  be  abased,  and  he  that 
humblelh  himself  shall  be  exalted."  Solomon 
observes,  Prov.  xv.  1.  that  a  soft  answer  turneth 
away  wrath ;  but  grievous  words  stir  up  anger." 
And  so  it  is,  that  while  the  proud,  through  their 
obstinacy,  do  but  wreathe  the  yoke  faster  about 
their  own  necks,  the  humble  ones,  by  their  yield- 
ing, make  their  relief  sure,  1  Sam.  ii.  8 — 10.  "  He 
raiseth  up  the  poor  out  of  the  dust,  and  lifteth  up 
the  befigar  from  the  dunghill,  to  set  them  amonsf 
princes,  and  to  make  them  inherit  the  throne  of 
glory.  He  will  keep  the  feet  of  his  saints,  and 
the  wicked  shall  be  silent  in  darkness  ;  for  by 
strength  shall  no  man  prevail.  The  adversaries 
of  the  Lord  shall  be  broken  in  pieces."  So  can- 
non will  break  down  a  stone  wall,  while  yielding 
packs  of  wool  will  take  away  its  force. 

5.  There  is  an  appointed  time  for  the  lifting  up 
of  those  that  humble  themselves  in  their  humbling 
circumstances,  Hab.  ii.  3.  "  For  the  vision  is  yet 
for  an  appointed  time,  but  at  the  end  it  shall  speak 
and  not  lie  :  though  it  tarry,  wait  for  it ;  because 
it  will  surely  come,  it  will  not  tarry."  To  every 
thing  there  is  a  time,  as  for  humbling,  so  for  lifting 
up,  Eccl.  iii.  3.  We  know  it  not,  but  God  knows 
it,  who  hath  appointed  it.  Let  not  the  humble  one 
say,  I  shall  never  be  lifted  up.  There  is  a  time 
fixed  for  it,  as  precisely  as  for  the  rising  of  the  sun 
after  a  long  and  dark  night,  or  the  return  of  the 
spring  after  a  long  and  sharp  winter. 

6.  It  is  not  to  be  expected,  that  immediately 


140  THERE  MUST  BE  A  WAITING  TIME. 

upon  one's  humbling  himself,  the  lifting  up  is  to 
follow.  No  :  one  is  not  merely  to  lie  down  under 
the  mighty  hand,  but  to  lie  still,  waiting  the  due 
time;  humbling  work  is  longsome  work;  the  Is- 
raelites had  forty  years  of  it  in  the  wilderness, 
God's  people  must  be  brought  to  put  a  blank  in  his 
hand,  as  to  the  time  ;  and  while  they  have  a  long 
night  of  walking  in  darkness,  must  trust,  Isa.  1.  10. 
"  Who  is  among  you,  that  feareth  the  Lord,  that 
obeyeth  the  voice  of  his  servant,  that  walketh  in 
darkness  and  hath  no  light  ?  Let  him  trust  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord,  and  stay  upon  his  God." 

7.  The  appointed  time  for  the  lifting  up  is  the 
due  time,  the  time  fittest  for  it,  wherein  it  will 
come  most  seasonably.  *'  And  let  us  not  be  weary 
in  well-doing  ;  for,  in  due  season  we  shall  reap,  if 
we  faint  not,"  Gal.  vi.  9.  For  that  is  the  time  God 
has  chosen  for  it ;  and  be  sure  his  choice,  as  the 
choice  of  infinite  wisdom,  is  the  best ;  and  there- 
fore faith  sets  to  wait  it,  Lsa.  xxviii,  16.  "  He  ihat 
believeth  shall  not  make  haste."  Much  of  the 
beauty  of  any  thing  depends  on  the  timing  of  it, 
and  he  has  fixed  that  in  all  that  he  does,  Eccl.  iii. 
IL  "He  hath  made  every  thing  beautiful  in  his 
time." 

8.  The  lifting  up  of  the  humble  will  not  fail  to 
come  in  the  appointed  and  due  time,  Hab.  ii.  3. 
Time  makes  no  halting,  it  is  running  day  and 
night ;  so  the  due  time  is  fast  coming,  and  when  it 
comes,  it  will  bring  the  lifting  up  along  with  it. 
Let  the  humbling  circumstances  be  ever  so  Low, 


THKRE   IS  A  TWO-FOLD  LUTING   UP.  141 

ever  so  hopeless,  it  is  impossible  but  the  lifting  up 
from  them  must  come  in  the  due  time. 

A  word,  in  the  general,  to  the  lifting  up,  abiding 
those  that  humble  themselves.  There  is  a  two- 
fold lifting  up. 

1.  A  partial  lifting  up,  competent  to  the  humbled 
in  time,  during  this  life,  Psal.  xxx.  1.  "  1  will  ex- 
tol thee,  O  Lord,  for  thou  hast  lit^ted  me  up,  and 
hast  not  made  my  foes  to  rejoice  over  me."  This 
is  a  lifting  up  in  part,  and  but  in  part,  not  wholly ; 
and  such  liftings  up  the  humbled  may  expect, 
while  in  this  world,  but  no  more. — These  give  a 
breathing  to  the  weary,  a  change  of  burdens,  but 
do  not  set  them  at  perfect  ease.  So  Israel,  in  the 
wilderness,  in  the  midst  of  their  many  mourning 
times,  had  some  singing  ones,  Exod.  xv.  1 . ;  Num- 
bers xxi.  17. 

2.  A  total  lifting  up,  competent  to  them  at  the 
end  of  time,  at  death,  Luke  xvi.  22.  "  It  came  to 
pass  that  the  beggar  died,  and  was  carried,  by  the 
angels,  into  Abraham's  bosom."  Then  the  Lord 
deals  with  them  no  more  by  parcels,  but  carries 
their  relief  to  perfection,  Heb.  xii.  22,  23.  Then 
he  takes  off  all  their  burdens,  eases  them  of  all 
their  weights,  and  lays  no  more  on  for  ever.  He 
then  lifts  them  up  to  a  height  they  were  never  at 
before  ;  no,  not  even  at  their  highest,  l^e  sets 
them  quite  above  all  that  is  low,  and  therein  fixes 
them,  never  to  be  brouoht  down  more.  Now, 
there  is  a  due  time  for  both  these. 

(1.)  For  the  partial  lifting  up.     Every  time  is 
not  fit  for  it :  we  are  not  always  fit  to  receive  com- 


142   THE  ONE  PARTIAL,  THE  OTHER  TOTAL. 

fort  and  ease,  or  a  change  of  our  burdens.  God 
sees  there  are  times  wherein  it  is  needful  for  his 
people  to  be  "  in  heaviness,"  1  Pet.  i.  6,  to  have 
their  "  hearts  brought  down  with  grief,"  Psal.  cvii, 
12.  But  then  there  is  a  time  really  appointed  for 
it  in  the  divine  wisdom,  when  he  will  think  it  as 
needful  to  comfort  them,  as  before  to  bring  down, 
2  Cor.  ii.  7.  "  So  that,  contrariwise,  ye  ought 
rather  to  forgive,  and  comfort  him,  lest  perhaps 
such  an  one  should  be  swallowed  up  with  over 
much  sorrow."  We  are,  in  that  case,  in  the  hand 
of  God,  as  in  the  hand  of  our  physician,  who  ap- 
points the  time  the  drawing  plaster  shall  continue, 
and  when  the  healing  plaster  shall  be  applied,  and 
leaves  it  not  to  the  patient. 

(2.)  For  the  total  lifting  up.  When  we  are  sore 
oppressed  with  our  burdens,  we  are  ready  to  think, 
Oh  !  to  be  away,  and  set  beyond  them  all,  Job  vii. 
2,  3.  "  As  a  servant  earnestly  desirelh  the  shadow, 
and  as  an  hireling  looketh  for  the  reward  of  his 
work  ;  so  am  I  made  to  possess  months  of  vanity, 
and  wearisome  nights  are  appointed  to  me."  But 
it  may  be  fitter,  for  all  that,  that  we  stay  awhile, 
and  struggle  with  our  burdens,  Phil.  i.  24,  25, 
"  Nevertheless,  to  abide  in  the  flesh  is  more  need- 
ful for  you.  And  having  this  confidence,  I  know 
that  I  shall  abide  and  continue  with  you  all,  for 
your  furtherance  and  joy  of  faith."  A  few  days 
might  have  taken  Israel  out  of  Egypt  into  Canaan  ; 
but  they  would  have  been  too  soon  there,  if  they 
had  made  all  that  speed  ;  so  they  behooved  to 
spend  forty  years  in  the  wilderness,  till  their  due 


THE  LIFTING  UP  OF  THE   HUMBLE  SURE.       143 

time  of  entering  Canaan  should  come.  And  be 
sure  the  saints  entering  heaven  will  be  convinced, 
that  tlie  time  of  it  is  best  chosen,  and  there  will  be 
a  beauty  in  that  it  was  no  sooner.  And  thus  a 
lifting  up  is  secured  for  the  humble. 

If  one  should  assure  you,  when  reduced  to  po- 
verty, that  the  time  would  certainly  come  yet,  that 
you  should  be  rich  ;  when  sore  sick,  that  you 
should  not  die  of  that  disease,  but  certainly  reco- 
ver ;  that  would  help  you  to  bear  your  poverty  and 
sickness  the  better,  and  you  would  comfort  your- 
selves with  that  prospect.  However,  one  may 
continue  poor,  and  never  be  rich,  may  be  sick,  and 
die  of  his  disease ;  but  wlioever  humble  them- 
selves under  their  humbling  circumstances,  we  can 
assure  them  from  the  Lord's  word  they  shall  cer- 
tainly, without  all  peradventure,  be  lifted  up  out  of, 
and  relieved  from,  their  humbling  circumstances  : 
they  shall  certainly  see  the  day  of  their  ease  and 
relief,  when  they  shall  remember  their  burdens  as 
waters  that  fail.  And  you  may  be  assured  thereof, 
from  the  following  considerations. 

The  nature  of  God,  duly  considered,  ensures  it, 
Psal.  ciii.  8,  9.  "  The  Lord  is  merciful  and  gra- 
cious, slow  to  anger,  and  plenteous  in  mercy.  He 
will  not  always  chide  ;  neither  will  he  keep  his 
anger  for  ever."  The  humbled  soul,  looking  to 
God  in  Christ,  may  see  three  things,  in  his  nature 
jointly  securing  it. 

1.  Infinite  power,  that  can  do  all  things.  No 
circumstances  are  so  low,  but  he  can  raise  them  ; 
80  entangling  and  perplexing,  but  he  can  unravel 


144  FROM  THE  PERFECTIONS  OF  GOD. 

them  ;  so  hopeless,  but  he  can  remedy  them,  Gen. 
xviii,  14.  "  Is  any  thing  too  hard  for  the  Lord  ?" 
Be  our  case  what  it  will,  it  is  never  past  reach 
with  him  to  help  it ;  but  then,  it  is  the  most  proper 
season  for  him  to  take  it  in  hand,  when  all  others 
have  given  it  over,  Deut.  xxxii.  36.  "  For  the 
Lord  shall  judge  his  people,  and  repent  himself 
for  his  servants  ;  when  he  seeth  that  their  power 
is  gone,  and  there  is  none  shut  up,  or  left." 

2.  Infinite  goodness  inclining  to  help.  He  is 
good  and  gracious  in  his  nature,  Exod.  xxxiv.  6,  7. 
And  therefore  his  power  is  a  spring  of  comfort  to 
them,  Rom.  xiv.  4.  Men  may  he  willing  that  are 
not  able,  or  able  that  are  not  willing  ;  but  infinite 
goodness,  joining  infinite  power  in  God,  may  as- 
certain the  humbled  of  a  lifting  up  in  due  time. 
That  is  a  word  of  inconceivable  sweetness,  1  John 
iv.  16.  "  And  we  have  known  and  believed  the  love 
that  God  hath  unto  us.  God  is  love  ;  and  he  that 
dwelleth  in  love,  dwelleth  in  God,  and  God  in 
him."  He  has  the  bowels  of  a  father  towards  the 
humble,  Psal.  ciii.  13.  "  Like  as  a  father  pitieth  his 
children,  so  the  Lord  pitieth  them  that  fear  him." 
Yea,  bowels  of  mercy  more  tender  than  a  mother 
to  a  sucking  child,  Isa.  xlix.  15.  Wherefore,  how- 
beit  his  wisdom  may  see  it  necessary  to  put  them 
in  humbling  circumstances,  and  keep  them  there 
for  a  time,  it  is  not  possible  he  can  leave  them 
therein  altogether. 

3.  Infinite  wisdom,  that  doth  nothing  in  vain, 
and  therefore  will  not  needlessly  keep  one  in  hum- 
bling circumstances,  Lara.  iii.  32,  33.  "  But  though 


FROM  THE  REVOLUTIONS  OF  NATURE.    145 

he  cause  grief,  yet  will  he  have  compassion  ac- 
cording to  the  imiltitude  of  his  mercies  ;  for  he 
doth  not  afflict  willingly,  nor  grieve  the  children 
of  men."  God  sends  alHictions  for  humblinjj,  as 
the  end  and  design  to  be  brought  about  by  them 
when  that  is  obtained,  and  there  is  no  more  use 
for  them  that  way,  we  may  assure  ourselves  they 
will  be  taken  off. 

The  providence  of  God,  viewed  in  its  stated 
methods  of  procedure  with  its  ohjecls,  ensures  it. 
Turn  your  eyes  which  way  you  will  on  tlie  divine 
providence,  you  may  conclude  thence,  that  in  due 
time  the  humble  will  be  lifted  up. 

Observe  ihe  providence  of  God,  in  the  revolu- 
tions of  the  whole  course  of  nature,  day  succeed- 
ing to  the  longest  nighi,  a  summer  to  the  winter,  a 
waxins  to  a  wanins:  of  the  moon,  a  flowingf  to  an 
ebbing  of  the  sea,  &c.  Let  not  the  Lord's  hum- 
bled  ones  be  idle  spectators  of  these  things  ;  they 
are  for  our  learning,  Jer.  xxxi.  35 — 37.  *'  Thus 
saith  the  Lord,  which  giveth  the  sun  for  a  light  by 
day,  and  the  ordinances  of  the  moon,  and  of  the 
stars  for  a  light  by  night,  which  divideth  the  sea, 
when  the  waves  thereof  roar ;  the  Lord  of  hosts 
is  his  name.  If  those  ordinances  depart  from  be- 
fore me,  saith  the  Lord,  then  the  seed  of  Israe 
also  shall  cease  from  being  a  nation  before  me  for 
ever."  Will  the  Lord's  hand  keep  such  a  steady 
course  in  the  earth,  sea,  and  visible  heavens,  as 
to  bring  a  lifting  up  in  them  after  a  casting  down, 
and  oidy  forget  his  humbled  ones?  No,  by  no 
means. 

13 


146  HUMILIATION  AND  EXALTATION  OF  CHRIST. 

Observe  the  providence  of  God,  in  the  dispen- 
sations thereof,  about  the  man  Christ,  the  most 
noble  and  august  object  thereof,  more  valuable  than 
a  thousand  worlds.  Col.  ii.  9.  Did  not  providence 
keep  this  com-se  with  him,  first  humbling  him,  then 
exalting  him,  and  lifting  him  up  ?  first  bringing  him 
to  the  dust  of  death,  in  a  course  of  sufferings  thirty- 
three  years,  then  exalting  him  to  the  Father's  right 
hand  in  an  eternity  of  glory  ?  Heb.  xii.  2.  "  Who 
for  the  joy  that  was  set  before  him,  endured  the 
cross,  despising  the  shame,  and  is  now  set  down 
at  the  right  hand  of  the  throne  of  God."  Phil.  ii. 
8,  9.  "  And  being  found  in  fashion  as  a  man,  he 
humbled  himself,  and  became  obedient  unto  death, 
even  the  death  of  the  cross ;  wherefore  God  also 
hath  highly  exalted  him."  The  exaltation  could 
not  fail  to  follow  his  humiliation,  Luke  xxiv.  26. 
"  Ought  not  Christ  to  have  suffered  these  things, 
and  to  enter  into  his  glory  ?"  And  he  saw  and  be- 
lieved it  would  follow,  as  the  springing  of  the  seed 
doth  the  sowing  it,  John  xii.  24.  There  is  a  near 
concern  the  humbled  in  humbling  circumstances 
have  herein. 

This  is  the  pattern  Providence  copies  after  in 
its  conduct  towards  you.  The  Father  was  so  well 
pleased  with  this  method,  in  the  case  of  his  own 
Son,  that  it  was  determined  to  be  followed,  and 
just  copied  over  again  in  the  case  of  all  the  heirs 
of  glory,  Rom.  viii.  29.  "  For  whom  he  did  fore- 
know, he  also  did  predestinate  to  be  conformed  to 
the  image  of  his  Son,  that  he  might  be  the  first 
born  among  many  brethren."    And  who  would  not 


THE    niSPEXSATIOXS    OF    PROVIDENCE.       117 

be  pleased  to  walk  through  the  darkest  valley 
treading  his  steps  ? 

This  is  a  sure  pledge  of  your  lifting  up.  Christ, 
in  his  state  of  humiliation,  was  considered  as  a  pub- 
lic person  and  representative,  and  so  is  he  in  his 
exaltation.  So  Christ's  exaltation  ensures  your 
exaltation  out  of  your  humbling  circumstances, 
"  Thy  dead  men  shall  live,  together  with  my  dead 
body  shall  they  arise ;  awake  and  sing,  ye  that 
dwell  in  the  dust,"  Isa.  xxvi.  19.  "  Come  and  let 
us  return  unto  the  Lord  :  for  he  hath  torn,  and  he 
will  heal  us  ;  he  hath  smitten,  and  he  will  bind  us 
up.  After  two  days  he  will  revive  us  :  in  the  third 
day,  he  will  raise  us  up,  and  we  shall  live  in  his 
sight."  Hos.  vi.  1,2.  "  And  hath  raised  us  up  to- 
gether, and  made  us  sit  together  in  heavenly  places 
in  Christ  Jesus."  Eph.  ii.  6.  Yea,  he  is  gone  in- 
to the  state  of  glory  for  us  as  our  forerunner. 
"  Whither  the  forerunner  is  for  us  entered,  even 
Jesus,  made  an  high  priest  for  ever."  Heb.  vi. 
20. 

His  humiliation  was  the  price  of  your  exaltation 
and  his  exaltation  a  testimony  of  the  acceptance 
of  his  payment  to  the  full.  There  are  no  hum- 
bling circumstances  ye  are  in,  but  ye  would  have 
perished  in  them,  had  not  he  purchased  your  lifting 
up  out  of  them  by  his  own  humiliation,  Isa.  xxvi, 
19.  Now,  his  humbling  grace  in  you  is  an  evidence 
of  the  acceptance  of  his  humiliation  for  your  lift- 
ing up. 

Observe  the  providence  of  God  towards  the 
church  in  all  ages.     This  has  been  the  course  the 


148         THE  DISPEXSATIONS  OF  PROVIDENCE. 

Lord  has  kept  with  her,  Psal.  cxxix.  1 — 4.  Abei 
was  slain  by  wicked  Cain,  to  the  great  grief  of 
Adam  and  Eve,  and  the  rest  of  their  pious  chil- 
dren ;  but  then  there  was  another  seed  raised  up 
in  Abel's  room,  Gen.  iv.  25.  Noah  and  his  sons 
were  buried  alive  in  the  ark  for  more  than  a  year : 
but  then  they  were  brought  out  into  a  new  world 
and  blessed.  Abraham  for  many  years  went  child- 
less ;  but  at  length  Isaac  was  born.  Israel  was 
long  in  miserable  bondage  in  Egypt ;  but  at  length 
seated  in  the  promised  land,  &;c.  We  must  be 
content  to  go  by  the  footsteps  of  the  flock ;  and  if 
in  humiliation,  we  shall  surely  follow  them  in  ex- 
altation too. 

Observe  the  providence  of  God  in  the  dispen- 
sations of  his  grace  towards  his  children.  The 
general  rule  is,  1.  Pet.  v.  5.  "  For  God  resisteth 
the  proud,  and  giveth  grace  to  the  humble."  How 
are  they  brought  into  a  state  of  grace  ?  Is  it  not 
by  a  sound  work  of  humiliation  going  before  ? 
Luke.  vi.  48.  And  ordinarily  the  greater  the  mea- 
sure of  grace  designed  for  any,  the  deeper  is 
their  humiliation  before,  as  in  Paul's  case.  If  they 
are  to  be  recovered  out  of  a  backsliding  case,  the 
same  method  is  followed  :  so  that  the  deepest  hu- 
miliation ordinarily  makes  way  for  the  greatest 
comfort,  and  the  darkest  hour  goes  before  the  ri- 
sing of  the  Sun  of  righteousness  upon  them,  Isa. 
Ixvi.  5—13. 

Observe  the  providence  of  God  at  length  throw- 
ing down  wicked  men,  however  long  ihey  stand  and 
prosper,  Psal.  xxxvii.  25,  36.     "  I  have  seen  the 


THE  DOCTRINES  OF  THE  WORD.  149 

wicked  in  great  power,  and  spreading  himself  like 
a  green  bay  tree ;  yet  he  passed  away,  and  lo,  he 
was  not;  yea,  I  soiifrht  him  but  he  could  not  be 
found."  They  are  loiiij  green  before  the  sun,  but 
at  length  they  are  suddenly  smitten  with  an  east 
wind,  and  wither  away  ;  their  lamp  goes  out  with 
a  stench,  and  they  are  put  out  in  ol)scure  darkness. 
Now,  it  is  inconsistent  with  the  benignity  of  the 
divine  nature,  to  forget  the  humble  to  raise  them, 
while  he  minds  the  proud  to  abase  them. 

The  word  of  God  puts  it  beyond  all  peradven- 
ture,  which,  from  the  beginning  to  the  end,  is  the 
humbled  saint's  security  for  a  lifting  up,  Psal.  cxix. 
49,  50.  "  Remember  the  word  unto  thy  servants, 
upon  which  thou  hast  caused  me  to  hope.  This 
is  my  comfort  in  my  affliction  ;  for  thy  word  hath 
quickened  me."  His  word  is  the  great  letter  of 
his  name,  which  he  will  certainly  cause  to  shine, 
Psal.  cxxxviii.  2.  "  For  thou  hast  magnified  thy 
word  above  all  thy  name  ;"  and  in  all  generations 
hast  been  safely  relied  on,  Psal.  xii.  6.    Consider, 

1.  The  doctrines  of  the  word,  which  teach  faith 
and  hope  for  the  time,  and  the  happy  issue  which 
the  exercise  of  these  graces  will  have.  The  whole 
current  of  Scripture,  to  those  in  humbling  circum- 
stances, is,  "  not  to  cast  away  their  confidence, 
but  to  hope  to  the  end  ;"  and  that  for  this  good  rea- 
son, that  "  it  shall  not  be  in  vain."  See  Psal.  xxvii. 
14.  "  Wait  on  the  Lord  ;  be  of  good  courage, 
and  he  shall  strengthen  thine  heart ;  wait,  I  say, 
on  the  Lord."     And  compare  Rom.  ix.  33 ;  Isa. 

13* 


150  PROMISE  AXD  EXAMPLES  OF  THE  WORD. 

xlix.  23.     "  For  they  shall  not  be  ashamed  that 
wait  for  me." 

2.  The  promises  of  the  word,  whereby  heaven 
is  expressly  engaged  for  a  lifting  up  to  those  that 
humble  themselves  in  humbling  circumstances, 
"  Humble  yourselves  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,  and 
he  shall  lift  you  up,"  James  iv.  10.  "  And  he  that 
humbleth  himself  shall  be  exalted,"  Matt,  xxiii.  12. 
It  may  talm  a  time  to  prepare  thom  for  lifting  up, 
but  that  being  done,  it  is  secured,  "  Lord,  thou 
hast  heard  the  desire  of  the  humble  ;  thou  wilt 
prepare  their  heart ;  thou  wilt  cause  thine  ear  to 
hear,"  Psal.  x.  17.  They  have  his  word  for  de- 
liverance, Psal.  1.  15.  And  though  they  may  seem 
to  be  forgotten,  they  shall  not  be  always  so  ;  the 
time  of  their  deliverance  will  come.  "  For  the 
needy  shall  not  always  be  forgotten  :  the  expecta- 
tion of  the  poor  shall  not  perish  for  ever,"  Psal. 
ix.  18.  "  He  will  regard  the  prayer  of  the  desti- 
tute, and  not  despise  their  prayer,"  Psal.  cii.  17. 

3.  The  examples  of  the  word  sufficiently  con 
firming  the  truth  of  the  doctrines  and  promises, 
Rom.  XV.  4.  "  For  whatsoever  things  were  written 
aforetime,  were  written  for  our  learning ;  that  we 
through  patience  and  comfort  of  the  scriptures 
might  have  hope."  In  the  doctrines  and  promises 
the  lifting  up  is  proposed  to  our  faith,  to  be  reckon- 
ed on  the  credit  of  God's  word  ;  but,  in  the  exam- 
ples it  is,  in  the  case  of  others,  set  before  our  eyes 
to  be  seen.  James  v.  11.  "  Behold  we  count  them 
happy  wliich  endure.     Ye  have  heard  of  the  pa- 


^«s, 


%  M 


THE  INTERCESSION  OF  CHRIST.  151 

tience  of  Job,  and  have  seen  the  end  of  the  Lord  ; 
that  the  Lord  is  very  pitiful,  and  of  tender  mercy." 
There  we  see  it  in  the  case  of  Abniham,  Job, 
David,  Paul,  and  other  saints  ;  but  above  all,  in  the 
case  of  the  man  Christ. 

4.  The  intercession  of  Christ,  joining  the  pray- 
ers and  cries  of  his  humbled  people,  in  their  hum- 
bling circumstances,  ensures  a  lifting  up  for  them 
at  length.  Be  it  so,  that  the  proud  cry  not  when 
he  bindeth  them  ;  yet  his  own  humbled  ones  will 
certainly  cry  unto  him,  Psal.  xlii.  7,  8.  "  Deep 
callelh  unto  deep,  at  the  noise  of  thy  water  spouts  ; 
all  thy  waves  and  thy  billows  are  gone  over  me. 
Yet  the  Lord  will  command  his  loving-kindness  in 
the  day-time,  and  in  the  night  his  song  shall  be 
with  me,  and  my  prayer  unto  the  God  of  my  life." 
And  though  unbelievers  may  soon  be  outwearied, 
and  give  it  over  altogether,  surely  believers  will 
not  do  so  ;  but  though  they  may,  in  a  tit  of  tempta- 
tion, lay  it  by  as  hopeless,  they  will  find  them- 
selves obliged  to  take  it  up  again,  Jer.  xx.  9. 
"  Then  I  said,  1  will  not  make  mention  of  him, 
nor  speak  any  more  in  his  name.  But  his  word 
was  in  mine  heart  as  a  burning  fire  shut  up  in  my 
bones,  and  I  was  weary  with  forbearing,  and  I 
could  not  stay."  They  will  cry,  night  and  day 
unto  him,  Luke  xviii.  7,  knowing  no  time  forgiving 
it  over  till  they  be  lifted  up.  Lam.  iii.  49,  50. 
"  Mine  eye  trickleth  down,  and  ceaseth  not,  with- 
out any  intermission  ;  till  the  Lord  look  down,  and 
behold  from  heaven."     Now,  Christ's  intercessioa 


152  THE  INTERCESSION  OF  CHRIST. 

being  joined  with  these  cries,  there  cannot  fail  to 
be  a  hfting  up. 

Christ's  intercession  is  certainly  joined  with  the 
cries  and  prayers  of  the  humbled  in  their  hum- 
blinor  circumstances.  Rev.  viii.  3.  "And  another 
angel  came  and  stood  at  the  altar,  having  a  golden 
censer,  and  there  was  given  unto  him  much  in- 
cense, that  he  should  offer  it  with  the  prayers  of 
all  saints  upon  the  golden  altar  which  was  before 
the  throne."  They  are  by  the  Spirit  helped  to 
groan  for  relief,  Rom.  viii.  26,  and  the  prayers  and 
groans,  which  are  through  the  Spirit,  are  certainly 
to  be  made  effectual  by  the  intercession  of  the 
Son,  James  v.  16.  And  ye  may  know  they  are  by 
the  Spirit,  if  so  be  ye  are  helped  to  continue  pray- 
ing, hoping  for  your  suit  at  last  on  the  ground  of 
God's  word  of  promise  ;  for  nature's  praying  is  a 
pool  that  will  dry  up  in  a  long  drought.  The  Spi- 
rit of  prayer  is  the  lasting  spring,  John  iv.  14; 
Psal.  cxxxviii.  3.  "In  the  day  when  I  cried,  thou 
answeredst  me ;  and  strengthenest  me  with  strength 
in  my  soul."  Truly  there  is  an  intercession  in 
heaven,  on  account  of  the  humbling  circumstances 
of  the  humble  ones.  "  Then  the  angel  of  the 
Lord  answered  and  said,  0  Lord  of  hosts,  how 
long  wilt  thou  not  have  mercy  on  Jerusalem,  and 
on  the  cities  of  Judah,  against  which  thou  hast  had 
indignation  these  threescore  and  ten  years?"  Zech. 
i.  12.  How  then  can  they  miss  of  a  lifting  up  in 
due  time  ? 

Christ  is  in  deep  earnest  in  his  intercession  for 


THE  IN'TERCESSIOX  OF  CHRIST.  153 

his  people  in  their  humbling  circumstances.  Some 
will  speak  a  gooil  word  in  favour  of  the  helpless, 
that  will  be  little  concerned  whether  they  speed  or 
not;  but  our  Intercessor  is  in  earnest  in  behalf  of 
his  humbled  ones  :  for  he  is  touched  with  sympa- 
thy in  their  case,  Isa.  Ixiii.  9.  "  In  all  their  afflic- 
tion he  was  afflicted."  A  most  tender  sympathy, 
Zech.  ii.  8.  "  For  he  that  toucheth  you,  toucheth 
the  apple  of  his  eye."  He  has  their  case  upon 
his  heart,  where  he  is  in  the  holy  place  in  the 
highest  heavens,  Exod.  xxviii.  29,  and  he  keeps 
an  exact  account  of  the  time  of  their  humblinsr 
circumstances,  be  it  as  long  as  it  will,  Zech.  i.  12. 
Moreover,  it  is  his  own  business  ;  the  lifting  up 
which  thev  are  to  have  is  a  thin^  that  is  secured 
to  him  in  the  promises  made  to  him  on  the  account 
of  his  blood  shed  for  them,  Psal.  Ixxxix.  33 — 36. 
So  not  only  are  they  looking  on  earth,  but  the  man 
Christ  is  in  heaven  looking  for  the  accomplish- 
ment of  these  promises,  Heb.  x.  12,  13.  "But  this 
man,  after  he  had  offered  one  sacrifice  for  sins,  for 
ever  sat  down  on  the  right  hand  of  God  ;  from 
henceforth  expecting  till  his  enemies  be  made  his 
footstool."  How  is  it  possible,  then,  that  he  should 
be  balked  ?  Moreover,  these  humbling  circum- 
stances are  his  own  sufferings  still,  though  not  in 
his  person,  yet  in  his  members.  Col.  i.  24.  "  Who 
now  rejoice  in  my  sufferings  for  you,  and  fill  up 
that  which  is  behind  of  the  afilictions  of  Christ  in 
my  flesh,  for  his  body's  sake,  which  is  the  church." 
Wherefore  there  is  all  ground  to  conclude  he  is  in 
deep  earnest.     Again, 


154       THE  PARTIAL  LIFTING  UP  CONSIDERED. 

His  intercession  is  always  effectual,  John  xi.  42. 
"  And  I  know  that  thou  hearest  me  always."  It 
cannot  miss  to  be  so,  because  he  is  the  Father's 
well-beloved  Son ;  his  intercession  has  a  plea  of 
justice  for  the  ground  of  it,  1  John  ii.  1.  "  We 
have  an  advocate  with  the  Father,  Jesus  Christ 
the  righteous."  Moreover,  he  has  all  power  in 
heaven  and  earth  lodged  in  him,  Matt,  xxviii.  18. 
And,  finally,  he  and  his  Father  are  one,  and  their 
will  one.  So,  both  Christ  and  his  Father  do  will 
the  lifting  up  of  the  humble  ones,  but  yet  only  in 
the  due  time. 

I  now  proceed  to  a  more  particular  view  of  the 
point.  And,  1.  We  will  consider  the  lifting  upas 
brought  about  in  nime,  which  is  the  partial  lift- 
ing up. 

This  lifting  up  does  not  take  place  in  every 
case  of  a  child  of  God.  One  may  be  humbled 
in  humbling  circumstances,  from  which  he  is  not 
to  get  a  lifting  up  in  time.  We  would  not  from 
the  promise  presently  conclude,  that  we  being 
humbled  under  our  humbling  circumstances,  shall 
certainly  be  taken  out  of  them,  and  freed  from 
them  ere  we  get  to  the  end  of  our  journey.  For 
it  is  certain,  there  are  some,  such  as  our  imper- 
fections, and  sinfulness,  and  mortality,  we  can 
by  no  means  be  rid  of  while  in  this  world.  And 
there  are  particular  humbling  circumstances  the 
Lord  may  bring  about  one,  and  keep  about  him, 
till  he  goes  down  to  the  grave,  while,  in  the 
mean  time,  he  may  lift  up  another  from  the  same. 
Heman   was  presssd  down  all   along  from  his 


THE  PARTIAL  LIFTING  UP.  155 

youth,  Psal.  xxxviii.  15,  others  all  their  lifetime, 
ileb.  ii.  15. 

Object.  "  If  that  be  the  case,  what  comes  of  the 
promise  of  lifting  up  ?  Where  is  the  lifting  up,  if 
one  may  go  to  the  grave  under  the  weight  ?" 

Ans.  Were  there  no  life  after  this,  there  would 
be  ground  for  that  objection  ;  but  since  there  is 
another  life,  there  is  none  in  it  at  all.  In  the  other 
life  the  promise  will  be  accomplished  to  the  hum- 
bled, as  it  was,  Luke  xvi.  22.  Consider  that  the 
great  term  for  accomplishing  the  promises  is  the 
other  life,  not  this.  "These  all  died  in  the  faith,  not 
having  received  the  promises,  but  having  seen  them 
afar  off,  and  were  persuaded  of  them,  and  embraced 
them."  Heb.  xi.  13.  And  that  whatever  accom- 
plishment of  the  promise  is  here,  it  is  not  of  the 
nature  of  a  stock,  but  of  a  sample  or  a  pledge. 

Quest.  "  But  then,  may  we  not  give  over  pray- 
ing for  the  lifting  up,  in  that  case  ?" 

Ans.  We  do  not  know  when  that  is  our  case  ; 
for  a  case  may  be  past  all  hope  in  our  eyes,  and 
the  eyes  of  others,  in  which  God  designs  a  lifting 
up  in  time,  as  in  Job's,  chap.  vi.  11,  "What  is 
my  strength  that  1  should  hope  ;  and  what  is  mine 
end  that  1  should  prolong  my  life  ?"  But,  be  it  as 
it  will,  we  should  never  give  over  praying  for  the 
lifting  up,  since  it  will  certainly  come  to  all  who 
pray  in  faith  for  it ;  if  not  here,  yet  hereafter.  The 
promise  is  sure,  and  that  is  the  commandment ;  so 
much  praying  cannot  miss  of  a  happy  issue  at 
length,  Psa.  1.  15.  "  Call  upon  me  in  the  day  of 
trouble  ;  1  will  deliver  thee,  and  thou  shalt  glorify 


156  THE   PARTIAL    LIFTING   UP. 

me."  The  whole  life  of  a  Christian  is  a  praying, 
waiting  life,  to  encourage  whereunto  all  temporal 
deliverances  are  given  as  pledges,  Rom.  viii.  23. 
"  And  not  only  they,  but  ourselves  also,  which  have 
the  first  fruits  of  the  Spirit ;  even  we  ourselves 
groan  within  ourselves,  waiting  for  the  adoption,  to 
wit,  the  redemption  of  our  body."  And  whoso  ob- 
serves that  full  lifting  up  at  death  to  be  at  hand, 
must  certainly  rise,  if  he  has  given  over  his  case 
as  hopeless. 

However,  there  are  some  cases  wherein  this 
lifting  up  does  take  place.  God  gives  his  people 
some  notable  liftings  up,  even  in  time  raising  them 
out  of  remarkably  humbling  circumstances.  The 
storm  is  changed  into  a  calm,  and  they  remember 
it  as  waters  that  fail,  Psa.  xl.  1 — 4. 

Some  may  be  in  humbling  circumstances  very 
long,  and  sore  and  hopeless,  and  yet  a  lifting  up 
may  be  abiding  them,  of  a  much  longer  continuance. 
This  is  sometimes  the  case  with  the  children  of 
God,  who  are  set  to  bear  the  yoke  in  their  youth, 
as  it  was  with  Joseph  and  David  ;  and  of  them  that 
get  it  laid  on  them  in  their  middle  age,  as  it  was 
with  Job,  who  could  not  be  less  than  forty  years 
old  at  his  trouble's  coming,  but  after  it,  lived  one 
hundred  and  forty.  Job  xlii.  16.  God  by  such 
methods  prepares  man  for  peculiar  usefulness. 

Others  may  be  in  humbling  circumstances  long 
and  sore,  and  quite  hopeless  in  the  ordinary  course 
of  providence,  yet  they  may  get  a  lifting  up  ere 
they  come  to  their  journey's  end.  The  life  of 
God's  children  is  like  a  cloudy  and  rainy  day, 


JF 


THE    PARTIAL    LIFTING    tJP.  157 

wherein,  in  the  evening,  the  sun  breaks  out  from 
under  the  clouds,  shines  fair  and  clear  a  little,  and 
then  sets.  "  And  it  shall  come  to  pass  in  that  day, 
that  the  light  shall  not  be  clear,  nor  dark.  But  it 
shall  come  to  pass,  that  at  evening  time  it  shall  be 
light,"  Zech.  xiv.  G,  7.  Such  was  the  case  of  Ja- 
cob in  his  old  age,  brought  in  honour  and  comfort 
into  Eg)'pt  unto  his  son,  and  then  died. 

Yet,  whatever  liftings  up  they  get  in  this  life, 
they  will  never  want  some  weights  hanging  about 
them  for  their  humbling.  They  may  have  their 
singing  times,  but  their  songs,  while  in  this  world, 
will  be  mixed  with  groanings,  2  Cor.  v.  4.  "  For 
we  that  are  in  this  tabernacle  do  groan,  being  bur- 
dened." The  unmixed  dispensation  is  reserved 
for  the  other  world ;  but  this  will  be  a  wilderness 
unto  the  end,  where  there  will  be  bowlings,  with 
the  most  joyful  notes. 

All  the  liftings  up  which  the  humbled  meet  with 
now  are  pledges,  and  but  pledges  and  samples  of 
the  great  lifting  up,  abiding  them  on  the  other  side  ; 
and  they  should  look  on  them  so.  Hos.  ii.  15.  "  And 
1  will  give  her  her  vineyards  from  thence,  and  the 
valley  of  Achor  for  a  door  of  hope  ;  and  she  shall 
sing  there  as  in  the  days  of  her  youth,  and  as  in 
the  day  when  she  came  up  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt." 
Our  Lord  is  now  leading  his  people  through  the 
wilderness,  and  the  manna  and  the  water  of  the 
rock  are  earnests  of  the  milk  and  honey  flowing  in 
the  promised  land.  They  are  not  yet  come  home 
to  their  father's  house,  but  they  are  travelling  on 
the  road,  and  Christ  their  elder  brother  with  them, 

14 


158  OBJECTION   ANSWERED. 

who  bears  their  expenses,  takes  them  into  inns  by 
the  way,  as  it  were,  and  refreshes  them  with  par- 
tial liftings  up  ;  after  which,  they  must  get  to  the 
road  again.  But  that  entertainment  by  the  way  is 
a  pledge  of  the  full  entertainment  he  will  afford 
them  when  they  come  home. 

Object.  "  But  people  may  get  a  lifting  up  in 
time,  that  yet  is  no  pledge  of  a  lifting  up  on  the 
other  side  :  How  shall  I  know  it  then  to  be  a 
pledge  r 

Ans.  That  lifting  up  which  comes  by  the  pro- 
mises, is  certainly  a  pledge  of  the  full  lifting  up  in 
the  other  world  ;  for,  as  the  other  life  is  the  proper 
time  of  the  accomplishing  of  the  promises,  so  we 
may  be  sure,  that  when  God  once  begins  to  clear 
his  bond,  he  will  certainly  hold  on  till  it  is  fully 
cleared.  "  The  Lord  will  perfect  that  which  con- 
cerneth  me,"  Psalm  cxxxviii.  8.  So  we  may  say, 
as  Naomi  to  Ruth,  upon  her  receiving  the  six  mea- 
sures of  barley  from  Boaz,  Ruth  iii.  18,  "  He  will 
not  be  in  rest  until  he  have  finished  the  thing  this 
day."  There  are  liftings  up  that  come  by  common 
providence,  and  these  indeed  are  single,  and  not 
pledges  of  more  ;  but  the  promise  chains  mercies 
together,  so  that  one  got  is  a  pledge  of  another  to 
come,  yea,  of  the  whole  chain  to  the  end,  2  Sara. 
V.  12. 

Quest,  "  But  how  shall  I  know  the  lifting  up  to 
come  by  the  way  of  the  promise  ?" 

Ans.  That  which  comes  by  the  way  of  the  pro- 
mise, comes  in  the  low  way  of  humiliation,  the 
high  way  of  faith,  or  believing  the  promise,  and 


BENEFITS    OF    THIS    LIFTING    UP.  159 

the  long  way  of  waiting  hope  and  patient  continu- 
ance, James  v.  7.  "  Be  patient  therefore,  brethren, 
inito  the  coming  of  the  Lord.  Behold  the  husband- 
man waiteth  for  the  precious  fruit  of  the  earth,  and 
hath  long  patience  for  it  until  he  receive  the  early 
and  latter  rain."  Humility  prepares  for  the  accom- 
plishment of  the  promise,  faith  sucks  the  breast  of 
it,  and  patient  wailing  hangs  by  the  breast  till  the 
milk  come  abundantly. 

But  no  liftings  up  of  God's  children  here  are 
any  more  than  pledges  of  lifting  up.  God  gives 
worldly  men  their  stock  here,  but  his  children  get 
nothing  but  a  sample  of  theirs  here.  Psalm  xvii. 
14.  Even  as  the  servant  at  the  term  gets  his  fee 
in  a  round  sum,  while  the  young  heir  gets  nothing 
but  a  few  pence  for  spending  money.  The  truth 
is,  this  same  spending  money  is  more  valuable 
than  the  world's  stock.  Psalm  iv.  7.  "  Thou  hast 
put  gladness  in  my  heart,  more  than  in  the  time 
that  their  corn  and  their  wine  increased."  But 
though  it  is  better  than  that,  and  their  services  too, 
and  more  worth  than  all  their  waiting,  yet  it  is  be- 
low the  honour  of  their  God  to  put  them  off  with 
it,  Heb.  xi.  16.  "  But  now  they  desire  a  better 
country,  that  is,  an  heavenly  ;  wherefore  God  is 
not  ashamed  to  be  called  their  God ;  for  he  hath 
prepared  for  them  a  city." 

We  shall  now  consider  what  they  will  get  by 
this  lifting  up  promised  to  the  humbled. 

They  will  get, 

1.  A  removal  of  their  humbling  circumstances. 
God  having  tried  them  awhile,  and  humbled  thera, 


160  BENEFITS    OF    THIS    LIFTING    UP. 

and  brought  down  their  hearts,  will,  at  length,  take 
off  their  burden,  remove  the  weight  so  long  hung 
on  them,  and  so  take  them  off  that  part  of  their 
trial  joyfully,  and  let  them  get  up  their  back  long 
bowed  down ;  and  this  one  of  two  ways. 

Either  in  kind,  by  a  total  removal  of  the  burden. 
Such  a  lifting  Job  got,  when  the  Lord  turned  back 
his  captivity,  increased  again  his  family  and  sub- 
stance, which  had  both  been  desolated.  David, 
when  Saul  his  persecutor  fell  in  battle,  and  he  was 
brought  to  the  kingdom  after  many  a  weary  day, 
expecting  one  day  to  fall  by  his  hand.  It  is  easy 
with  our  God  to  make  such  turns  in  the  most  hum- 
bling circumstances. 

Or  in  equivalent,  or  as  good,  removing  the 
weight  of  the  burden,  that  though  it  remains,  it 
presses  them  no  more,  2  Cor.  xii.  9,  10.  "  And  he 
said  unto  me.  My  grace  is  sufficient  for  thee,  for 
my  strength  is  made  perfect  in  weakness.  Most 
gladly,  therefore,  will  I  rather  glory  in  my  infir- 
mities, that  the  power  of  Christ  may  rest  upon  me. 
Therefore,  I  take  pleasure  in  infirmities."  Though 
they  are  not  got  to  the  shore,  yet  their  head  is  no 
more  under  the  water,  but  lifted  up.  David  speaks 
feelingly  of  such  a  lifting  up,  Psal.  xxvii.  5,  6. 
"  For  in  the  time  of  trouble  he  shall  hide  me  in 
his  pavilion ;  in  the  secret  of  his  tabernacle  shall 
he  hide  me ;  he  shall  set  me  upon  a  rock.  And 
now  shall  mine  head  be  lifted  up  above  mine  ene- 
mies round  about  me  ;  therefore  will  I  offer  in  his 
tabernacle  sacrifices  of  joy ;  I  will  sing,  yea,  I  will 
sing  praises  unto  the  Lord."     Such  had  the  three 


161  BENEFITS    OF    THIS    LIFTING    UP. 

Hebrews  iu  the  fiery  furnace,  the  fire  burnt,  but  it 
couhl  burn  nothing  of  them  but  their  bonds  ;  they 
had  the  warmth  and  light  of  it,  but  nothing  of  the 
scorching  heat. 

2.  A  comfortable  sight  of  the  acceptance  of  their 
prayers,  put  up  in  their  humbling  circumstances. 
While  prayers  are  not  answered,  but  trouble  con- 
tinued, they  are  apt  to  think  they  are  not  accepted 
or  regarded  in  heaven,  because  there  is  no  altera- 
tion  in  their  case.  Job  ix.  16,  17.  "  If  I  had  call- 
ed, and  he  had  answered  me,  yet  would  I  not  be- 
lieve that  he  had  hearkened  unto  my  voice,  for  he 
breaketh  me  with  a  tempest."  But  that  is  a  mis- 
take ;  they  are  accepted  immediately,  though  not 
answered,  1  John  v.  14.  "And  this  is  the  confi- 
dence we  have  in  him,  that  if  we  ask  any  thing 
according  to  his  will,  he  heareth  us."  The  Lord 
does  with  them  as  a  father,  with  the  letters  com- 
ing thick  from  his  son  abroad,  reads  them  one  by 
one  with  pleasure,  and  carefully  lays  them  up  to 
be  answered  at  his  convenience.  And  when  the 
answer  comes,  the  son  will  know  how  acceptable 
they  were  to  his  father.  Malt.  xv.  28. 

3.  A  heart-satisfying  answer  of  their  prayers, 
so  that  they  shall  not  only  get  the  thing,  but  see 
they  have  it  as  an  answer  of  prayer  ;  and  they  will 
put  a  double  value  on  the  mercy,  1  Sam.  ii.  1. 
Accepted  prayers  may  be  very  long  of  answering, 
many  years,  as  in  Abraham  and  David's  case,  but 
they  cannot  miscarry  of  an  answer  at  length, 
Psalm  ix,  18.  The  time  will  come  when  God 
"will  tell  out  to  them,  according  to  the  promise,  that 

11* 


162  BENEFITS    OF    THIS    LIFTING    UP. 

they  shall  change  their  note,  and  say,  Psalm  cxvi. 
1.  "I  love  the  Lord,  because  he  hath  heard  my 
voice,  and  my  supplication :"  looking  on  their  lif- 
ting up  as  bearing  the  signature  of  the  hand  of  a 
prayer  hearing  God. 

4.  Full  satisfaction,  as  to  the  conduct  of  Provi- 
dence, in  all  the  steps  of  the  humbling  circum- 
stances, and  the  delay  of  the  lifting  up,  however 
perplexing  these  were  before.  Revelation  xv.  3. 
Standing  on  the  shore,  and  looking  back  to  what 
they  have  passed  through,  they  will  be  made  to 
say,  "  He  hath  done  all  things  well."  Those 
things  which  are  bitter  to  Christians  in  the  pass- 
ing through,  are  very  sweet  in  the  reflection  on 
them  ;  so  is  Samson's  riddle  verified  in  their  expe- 
rience. 

5.  They  get  the  lifting  up,  together  with  the  in- 
terest for  the  time  they  lay  out  of  it.  When  God 
pays  his  bonds  of  promises,  he  pays  both  principal 
and  interest  together ;  the  mercy  is  increased  ac- 
cording to  the  time  they  waited,  and  the  expenses 
and  hardships  sustained,  during  the  dependance  of 
the  process.  The  fruits  of  common  providence 
are  soon  ripe,  soon  rotten ;  but  the  fruit  of  the 
promise  is  often  long  a  ripening,  bat  then  it  is  du- 
rable :  and  the  longer  it  is  a  ripening,  it  is  the 
more  valuable  when  it  comes.  Abraham  and 
Sarah  waited  for  the  promise  about  ten  years,  at 
length  they  thought  on  a  way  to  hasten  it.  Gen. 
xvi.  That  soon  took,  in  the  birth  of  Ishmael,  but 
he  was  not  the  promised  son.  They  were  com- 
ing into  extreme  old  age  ere  the  promise  brought 


THE  DUE  TIME  OF  THIS  LIFTIXG  UP.         163 

forth,  Gen.  xviii.  11.  But  when  it  came,  they  got 
it  with  an  addition  of  the  renewing  of  their  ages, 
Gen.  xxi.  7;  and  xxv.  1.  The  most  valuable  of 
all  the  promises  was  the  longest  in  fulfilling,  name- 
ly, the  promise  of  Christ,  that  was  four  thousand 
years. 

6.  The  spiritual  enemies,  that  flew  thick  about 
them  in  the  time  of  the  darkness  of  the  humbling 
circumstances,  will  be  scattered  at  this  lifting  up 
in  the  promise,  1  Sam.  ii.  1,  5.  "And  Hannah 
prayed  and  said.  My  heart  rejoiceth  in  the  Lord, 
my  mouth  is  enlarged  over  my  enemies.  They 
that  were  full  have  hired  out  themselves  for  bread, 
and  they  that  were  hungry  ceased."  Formidable 
was  Pharaoh's  host  behind  the  Israelites,  while 
they  had  the  Red  Sea  before  them  ;  but  when  they 
were  through  the  sea,  they  saw  the  Egyptians  dead 
on  the  shore.  Exod.  xiv.  30.  Such  a  sight  will 
they  that  humble  themselves  under  humbling  cir- 
cumstances get  of  their  spiritual  enemies,  when 
the  time  comes  for  their  lifting  up. 

We  come  now  to  the  due  time  of  this  lifting  up. 
That  is  a  natural  question  of  those  who  are  in 
humbling  circumstances,  "  Watchman,  what  of  the 
night?"  Isa.  xxi.  11,  12.  And  we  cannot  answer 
it  to  the  humbled  soul,  but  in  the  general. 

The  lifting  up  of  the  humbled  will  not  be  long- 
some,  considering  the  weight  of  the  matter ;  that 
is  to  say,  considering  the  worth  and  value  of  the 
lifting  up  of  the  humble  ;  when  it  comes  it  can  by 
no  means  be  reckoned  long  to  the  time  of  it. 
When  you  sow  your  corn  in  the  fields,  though  it 


164  THE    DUE    TIME    OF    LIFTING    UP. 

does  not  ripen  so  soon  as  some  garden-seeds,  but 
you  wait  three  months  or  so,  you  do  not  think  the 
harvest  long  a  coming,  considering  the  value  of  the 
crop.  This  view  the  apostle  takes  of  the  lifting 
up  in  humbling  circumstances,  2  Cor.  iv.  17. 
"  For  our  light  affliction,  which  is  but  for  a  mo- 
ment, worketh  for  us  a  far  more  exceeding  and 
eternal  weight  of  glory."  So  that  a  believer,  look- 
ing on  the  promise  with  an  eye  of  faith,  and  per- 
ceiving its  accomplishment,  and  the  vvorth  of  it 
when  accomplished,  may  wonder  it  is  come  so 
shortly.  Therefore,  it  is  determined  to  be  a 
time  that  comes  soon,  Luke  xviii.  7,  8 ;  soon  in 
respect  of  its  weight  and  worth. 

When  the  time  comes,  it  and  only  it  will  appear 
the  due  time.  To  every  thing  there  is  a  season, 
and  a  great  part  of  wisdom  lies  in  discerning  it, 
and  doinff  thinors  in  this  season  thereof.  And  we 
may  be  sure  infinite  Wisdom  cannot  miss  the  sea- 
son, by  mistaking  it,  Deut.  xxxii.  4.  "  He  is  a 
rock,  his  work  is  perfect ;  for  all  his  ways  are 
judgment."  But  whatever  God  doth,  will  abide 
the  strictest  examination,  in  that,  as  all  other  points, 
Eccles.  iii.  14.  "  I  know  that  whatsoever  God 
doth,  it  shall  be  for  ever ;  nothing  can  be  put  to  it, 
nor  any  thing  taken  from  it :  and  God  doth  it  that 
men  may  fear  before  him."  It  is  true,  many  times 
appear  to  us  as  the  due  time  for  lifting  up,  which 
yet  really  is  not  so,  because  there  are  some  circum- 
stances hid  from  us,  v/hich  render  that  season  unlit 
for  the  thing, — Hence,  John  vii.  6.  "  My  time  is 
not  yet  come,  but  your  time  is  always  ready."     But 


THE    DUE    TIME    OF    LIFTIXG    UP.  1G5 

when  all  the  circumstances,  always  foreknown  of 
God,  shall  come  to  be  opened  out,  and  laid  toge- 
ther before  us,  we  shall  then  see  the  lifting  up  is 
come  in  the  time  most  for  the  honour  of  God  and 
our  £ood,  and  that  it  would  not  have  done  so  well 
sooner. 

When  the  time  comes  that  is  really  the  due 
time,  the  proper  time  for  the  lifting  up  a  child  of 
God  from  his  humbling  circumstances,  it  will  not 
be  put  off  one  moment  longer,  Hab.  ii.  3,  "  At  the 
end  it  shall  speak,  it  will  surely  come,  it  will  not 
tarry."  Though  it  tarry,  it  will  not  linger,  nor  be 
put  oiT  to  another  time.  0  what  rest  of  heart  would 
the  firm  faith  of  this  afford  us  !  there  is  not  a  child 
of  God  but  would,  with  the  utmost  earnestness,  pro- 
test against  a  lifting  up  before  the  due  time,  as 
against  an  unripe  fruit  cast  to  him  by  an  angry 
father  which  would  set  his  teeth  on  edge.  Since 
it  is  so  then,  could  we  firmly  believe  this  point, 
that  it  will  undoubtedly  come  in  the  due  time,  with- 
out losing  of  a  minute,  it  would  afford  a  sound  rest. 
It  must  be  so,  because  God  has  said  it ;  were  the 
case  ever  so  hopeless,  were  mountains  of  difficul- 
ties lying  in  the  way  of  it,  at  the  appointed  lime  it 
will  blow.  (Hebrew)  Hab.  ii.  3.  A  metaphor 
from  the  wind  rising  :u  a  moment  after  a  dead 
calm. 

The  humbling  circumstances  are  ordinarily  car- 
ried to  the  utmost  point  of  hopelessness  before  the 
lifting  up.  The  knife  was  at  Isaac's  throat  before 
the  voice  was  heard.  2  Cor.  i.  8,  9.  "  For  we 
would   not,  brethren,  have  you  ignorant  of  our 


166  THE    DUE    TIME    OF    LIFTING    UP. 

trouble  wliich  came  to  us  in  Asia,  that  we  were 
pressed  out  of  measure,  above  strength,  insomuch 
that  we  despaired  even  of  life  ;  but  we  had  the 
sentence  of  death  in  ourselves,  that  we  should  not 
trust  in  ourselves,  but  in  God,  which  raiseth  the 
dead."  Things  soon  seem  to  us  arrived  at  that 
point ;  such  is  the  hastiness  of  our  spirits.  But 
things  may  have  far  to  go  down  after  we  think  they 
are  at  the  foot  of  the  hill.  And  we  are  almost  as 
little  competent  judges  of  the  point  of  hopelessness, 
as  of  the  due  time  of  lifting  up.  But  generally  God 
carries  his  people's  humbling  circumstances  down- 
ward, still  downward,  till  they  come  to  that  point. 

Herein  God  is  holding  the  same  course  which  he 
held  in  the  case  of  the  man  Christ,  the  beloved  pat- 
tern copied  after,  in  all  the  dispensations  of  Provi- 
dence towards  the  church,  and  every  particular  be- 
liever, Rom.  viii.  29.  He  was  all  along  a  man  of 
sorrows  ;  as  his  time  went  on,  the  waters  swelled 
more,  till  he  was  brought  to  the  dust  of  death  ;  then 
he  was  buried,  and  the  grave-stone  sealed  ;  which 
done,  the  world  thought  they  were  quit  of  him,  and 
he  would  trouble  them  no  more.  But  they  quite 
mistook  it ;  then,  and  not  till  then,  was  the  due 
time  for  lifting  him  up.  And  the  most  remarkable 
liftings  up  that  his  people  get,  are  fashioned  after 
this  grand  pattern. 

Another  end  which  Providence  aims  at,  is  to 
carry  the  believer  clean  off  his  own,  and  all 
created  foundations,  to  fix  his  trust  and  hope  in  the 
Lord  alone,  2  Cor.  i.  9.  "  That  we  should  not  trust 
in  ourselves,  but  in  God  which  raiseth  the  dead." 


PREPARATION  OF  HEART  NECESSARY.    167 

The  life  of  a  Christian  here  is  designed  to  be  a  life 
of  faith ;  and  though  faith  may  act  more  easily 
when  it  has  some  help  from  sense,  yet  it  certainly 
acts  most  nobly  when  it  acts  in  opposition  to  sense. 
Then  is  it  pure  faith  when  it  stands  only  on  its  own 
native  legs,  the  power  and  word  of  God,  Rom.  iv. 
19,  20.  "  And  being  not  weak  in  faith,  he  consi- 
dered not  his  own  body  now  dead — neither  yet  the 
deadness  of  Sarah's  womb.  He  stajjsered  not  at 
the  promise  of  God  through  unbelief;  but  was 
strong  in  faith,  giving  glory  to  God.  And  thus  it 
must  do,  when  matters  are  carried  to  the  utmost 
point  of  hopelessness. 

Again,  due  preparation  of  the  heart,  for  the  lift- 
ing up  out  of  the  humbling  circumstances,  goes  be- 
fore the  due  time  of  that  lifting  up,  according  to 
the  promise.  It  is  not  so  in  every  lifting  up  ;  the 
liftings  up  of  common  providences  are  not  so  criti- 
cally managed ;  men  will  have  them,  will  wait  for 
them  no  longer,  and  God  flings  them  in  anger,  ere 
they  are  prepared  for  them,  Hos.  xiii.  11.  "I 
gave  thee  a  king  in  mine  anger."  They  can  by 
no  means  abide  the  trial,  and  God  takes  them  off 
as  reprobate  silver  that  is  not  able  to  abide  it,  Jer. 
vi.  29,  30. 

This  due  preparation  consists  in  a  due 'humilia- 
tion, Psa.  X.  17.  And  it  often  takes  much  work  to 
bring  about  this,  wliich  is  another  point  that  we 
are  very  incompetent  judges  of.  We  should  have 
thought  Job  was  brought  very  low  in  his  spirit,  by 
the  providence  of  God  bruising  him  on  the  one 
hand,  and  his  friends  on  the  other,  for  a  long  time : 


168   PREPARATION  OF  HEART  NECESSARY. 

yet,  after  all  that  he  had  endured  both  ways,  God 
saw  it  necessary  to  speak  to  him  himself,  for  his 
humiliation,  chap,  xxxviii.  1.  By  that  speech  of 
God  himself,  he  was  brought  to  his  knees,  chap, 
xl.  4,  5.  And  we  should  have  thought  he  was  then 
sufficiently  humbled,  and  perhaps  he  thought  so 
too.  But  God  saw  a  further  degree  of  humiliation 
necessary,  and  therefore  begins  again  to  speak  for 
his  humiliation,  which  at  length  laid  him  in  the 
dust,  chap.  xlii.  5,  6.  And  when  he  was  thus  pre- 
pared for  lifting  up,  he  got  it. 

There  are  six  things,  I  conceive,  belong  to  this 
humiliation,  preparatory  to  lifting  up. 

1.  A  deep  sense  of  sinfulness  and  un worthiness 
of  being  lifted  up  at  all.  Job  xl.  4.  "  Behold  I  am 
vile,  what  shall  I  answer  thee  ?  I  will  lay  mine 
hand  upon  my  mouth."  People  may  be  long  in 
humbling  circumstances,  ere  they  be  brought  this 
length ;  even  good  men  are  much  prejudiced  in 
their  own  behalf,  and  may  so  far  forget  themselves 
as  to  think  God  deals  his  favours  unequally,  and  is 
mighty  severe  on  them  more  than  others.  Elihu 
marketh  this  fault  in  Job,  under  his  humbling  cir- 
cumstances. Job  xxxiii.  8 — 12.  And  I  believe  it 
will  be  found,  there  is  readily  a  greater  keenness 
to  vindicate  our  own  honour  from  the  imputation 
the  humbling  circumstances  seem  to  lay  upon  it, 
than  to  vindicate  the  honour  of  God  in  the  justice 
and  equity  of  the  dispensation.  The  blindness  of 
an  ill-natured  world,  still  ready  to  suspect  the  worst 
causes  for  humbling  circumstances,  as  if  the  greatest 
suiferers  were  surely  the  greatest  sinners,  Luke 


RESIGNATION    TO    THE    WILL    OF   GOD.       169 

xiii.  4,  gives  a  handle  for  this  bias  of  the  corrupt 
nature. — But  God  is  a  jealous  God,  and  when  he 
appears  sufficiently  to  humble,  he  will  cause  the 
matter  of  our  honour  to  give  way  to  the  vindication 
of  his. 

}  2.  A  resignation  to  the  divine  pleasure  as  to  the 
time  of  lifting  up.  God  gives  the  promise,  leaving 
the  time  blank  as  to  us.  Our  time  is  always  ready, 
and  we  rashly  till  it  up  at  our  own  hand.  God 
does  not  keep  our  time,  because  it  is  not  the  due 
time.  Hence  we  are  ready  to  think  his  word 
fails ;  whereas  it  is  but  our  own  rash  conclusion 
from  it  that  fails,  Psal.  cxvi.  11.  "I  said  in  my 
haste,  all  men  are  liars."  Several  of  the  saints 
have  suffered  much  by  this  means,  and  thereby 
learned  to  let  alone  filling  up  that  blank.  The  first 
promise  was  thus  used  by  believing  Eve,  Gen.  iv. 
1.  Another  promise  was  so  by  believing  Abra- 
ham, after  about  ten  years'  waiting.  Gen.  xvi. 

If  this  be  the  case  of  any  child  of  God,  let  them 
not  be  discouraged  upon  it,  thinking  they  were 
over-rash  in  applying  the  promise  to  themselves  : 
they  were  only  so  in  applying  the  time  to  the 
promise;  a  mist  ike  that  saints  in  all  ages  have 
made,  which  they  repented,  and  saw  the  folly  of, 
and  let  alone  that  point  for  the  time  to  come  ;  and 
then  the  promise  was  fulfilled  in  its  own  due  time. 
Let  them  in  such  circumstances  go  and  do  like- 
wise, leaving  the  time  entirely  to  the  Lord. 

3.  An  entire  resignation  as  to  the  way  and  man- 
ner of  bringing  it  about.  We  are  ready  to  do,  as 
to  the  way  of  accomplishing  the  promise,  just  as 

15 


170         RESIGNATION  TO  THE  WILL  OF  GOD. 

with  the  time  of  it,  to  set  a  particular  way  for  the 
Lord's  working  of  it ;  and  if  that  be  not  kept,  the 
proud  heart  is  stumbled,  2  Kings  v.  11.  "But 
Naaman  was  wroth,  and  he  went  away,  and  said, 
Behold,  I  thought  he  will  surely  come  out  to  me, 
and  stand  and  call  on  the  name  of  the  Lord  his 
God,  and  strike  his  hand  over  the  place."  But  the 
Lord  will  have  his  people  broken  off  from  that  too, 
that  they  shall  prescribe  no  way  to  him,  but  leave 
it  to  him  entirely,  as  in  that  case,  ver.  14.  "  He 
went  down  and  dipped  himself  seven  times  in  Jor- 
dan, according  to  the  saying  of  the  man  of  God, — 
and  he  was  clean."  The  compass  of  our  knowledge 
of  ways  and  means  is  very  narrow,  as,  if  one  is 
blocked  up,  oftentimes  we  cannot  see  another ,  but 
our  God  knows  many  ways  of  relief,  where  we 
know  but  one  or  none  at  all ;  and  it  is  very  usual 
for  the  Lord  to  bring  the  lifting  up  of  his  people  in 
a  way  they  had  no  view  to,  after  repeated  disap- 
pointments from  those  quarters  whence  they  had 
great  expectation. 

4.  Resignation  as  to  the  degree  of  the  lifting 
up,  yea,  and  as  to  the  very  being  of  it  in  time.  The 
Lord  will  have  his  people  weaned  so,  that  how- 
ever hasty  they  have  sometimes  been,  that  they 
behooved  to  be  so  soon  lifted,  and  could  no  longer 
bear,  they  shall  be  brought  at  length  to  set  no  time 
at  all,  but  submit  to  go  to  the  grave  under  their 
weight,  if  it  seem  good  in  the  Lord's  eyes ;  and 
in  that  case  they  will  be  brought  to  be  content  with 
any  measure  of  it  in  time,  without  prescribing  how 
much,  2  Sam.  xv.  25,  26.     "  If  1  shall  find  favour 


PATIENT  WAITING   0.\  GOD.  171 

in  the  eves  of  the  Lord,  he  will  brinsj  me  again — 
But  if  he  thus  say,  I  have  no  delight  in  thee  ;  be- 
hold, here  am  I,  let  him  do  as  seemeth  good  unto 
him." 

5.  The  continuing  of  praying  and  waiting  on 
the  Lord  in  the  case,  Eph.  vi.  18.  "  Praying  al- 
ways with  all  prayer  and  supplication  in  the  Spirit, 
and  watching  thereunto  with  all  perseverance." 
It  is  pride  of  heart,  and  unsubduedness  of  spirit, 
that  makes  people  give  over  praying  and  wailing, 
because  their  humbling  circumstances  are  length- 
ened out  time  after  time,  2  Kings,  vi.  33.  But  due 
humility,  going  before  the  lifting  up,  brings  men 
into  the  temper,  to  pray,  wait,  and  hang  on  reso- 
lutely, setting  no  time  for  the  giving  it  over  till  the 
lifting  up  come,  whether  in  time  or  in  eternity, 
Lam.  iii.  49,  50. 

6.  Mourning  under  mismanagements  in  the  trial. 
Job  xlii.  3.  "  Therefore  have  1  uttered  that  I  un- 
derstood not,  things  too  wonderful  for  me,  which  I 
knew  not."  The  proud  heart  dwells  and  expatiates 
on  the  man's  sutferings  in  the  trial,  and  casts  out 
all  the  folds  of  the  trial,  on  that  side,  and  views 
them  again  and  again.  But  when  the  Spirit  of 
God  comes  duly  to  humble,  in  order  to  lifting  up, 
he  will  cause  the  man  to  pass,  in  a  sort,  the  suf- 
fering side  of  the  trial,  and  turn  his  eyes  on  his 
own  conduct  in  it,  ransack  it,  judge  himself  im- 
partially, and  condemn  himself,  so  that  his  mouth 
will  be  stopt.  This  is  that  humility  that  goeth  be- 
fore the  lifting  up  in  time  in  the  way  of  the  pro- 
mise. 


172  THE  FINAL  LIFTING  UP. 

We  proceed  to  consider  the  lifting  up  as  brought 
about  at  the  end  of  time  in  the  other  world.     And, 

1st.  A  word  as  to  the  nature  of  this  lifting  up. 
Concerning  it  we  shall  say  these  five  things  : 

1.  There  is  a  certainty  of  this  lifting  up,  in  all 
cases  of  the  humbled  under  humbling  circumstan- 
ces. Though  one  cannot,  in  every  case,  make 
them  sure  of  a  lifting  up  in  time,  yet  they  may  be 
assured,  be  the  case  what  it  may,  they  will  with- 
out all  peradventure,  get  a  lifting  up  on  the  other 
side,  2  Cor.  v.  1.  "  For  we  know,  that  if  our 
earthly  house  of  this  tabernacle  were  dissolved, 
we  have  a  building  of  God,  an  house  not  made 
with  hands  eternal  in  the  heavens."  Though 
God's  humble  children  may  both  breakfast  and 
dine  on  bread  of  adversity,  and  water  of  affliction, 
they  will  be  sure  to  sup  sweetly  and  plentifully. 
And  the  believing  expectation  of  the  latter  might 
serve  to  qualify  the  former,  and  make  them  easy 
under  it. 

2.  It  will  be  a  perfect  lifting  up,  Heb.  xii.  22. 
They  will  be  perfectly  delivered  out  of  their  par- 
ticular trials  and  special  furnace,  be  it  what  it  will, 
that  made  them  weary  many  a  day.  Lazarus  was 
then  delivered  from  his  poverty  and  sores,  and  ly- 
ing at  the  rich  man's  gate,  Luke  xvi.  22,  and  ful- 
ly delivered.  Yea,  they  will  get  a  lifting  up  from 
all  their  humbling  circumstances  together.  All 
imperfections  will  then  be  at  an  end,  inferiority  in 
relations,  contradictions,  afflictions,  uncertainty, 
and  sin.  If  it  was  long  in  coming,  there  will  be 
a  blessed  moment  when  they  shall  get  altogether. 


THE  FINAL  LIFTING  UP.  173 

3.  They  will  not  only  he  raisfd  out  of  their  low 
condition,  but  they  will  be  set  up  on  high,  as  Jo- 
seph ;  not  only  brought  out  of  prison,  but  made 
ruler  over  the  land  of  Egypt.  And  they  will  be 
lifted  up  into  a  high  place,  Luke  xvi.  22.  "  The 
beggar  died  and  was  carried  by  the  angels  into 
Abraham's  bosom."  Now  they  are  at  best  but  in 
a  low  place,  upon  this  earth ;  there  they  will  be 
seated  in  the  highest  heavens,  Phil.  i.  23,  with 
Eph.  iv.  10.  Often  in  their  humbling  circumstan- 
ces they  are  obliged  now  to  embrace  dunghills ; 
then  they  will  be  set  with  Christ  on  his  throne, 
Rev.  iii.  21.  "To  him  that  overcometh  will  I 
grant  to  sit  with  me  on  my  throne."  Though  they 
now  cleave  to  the  earth,  and  men  say,  Bow  down 
that  we  may  pass  over  you,  they  will  then  be  set- 
tled in  the  heavenly  mansions,  above  the  sun, 
moon,  and  stars.  They  will  also  be  lifted  up  into 
a  high  state  and  condition,  a  state  of  perfection. 
Out  of  all  their  troubles  and  uneasiness,  they  will 
be  set  in  a  state  of  rest ;  from  their  mean  and  in- 
glorious condition,  they  will  be  advanced  into  a 
state  of  glory  ;  their  burdened  and  sorrowful  life 
will  be  succeeded  with  a  fulness  of  joy ;  and,  for 
their  humbling  circumstances,  they  will  be  clothed 
with  eternal  glory  and  honour. 

4.  It  will  be  a  linal  lifting  up,  after  which  there 
will  be  no  more  casting  down  for  ever,  Rev.  vii. 
16.  When  we  get  a  lifting  up  in  time,  we  are  apt 
to  imagine  fondly  we  are  at  the  end  of  our  trials ; 
but  we  soon  find  we  are  too  hasty  in  our  conclu- 
sions, and  the  cloud  returns,  Psal.  xxx.  G,  7.    "  la 

15* 


174  THE    FINAL    LIFTING    UP. 

my  prosperity  I  said,  I  shall  never  be  moved. 
Thou  didst  hide  thy  face,  and  I  was  troubled." 
But  then  indeed  the  trial  is  quite  over,  the  fight  is 
at  an  end,  and  then  is  the  time  of  the  retribution 
and  triumph. 

5.  There  will  not  be  the  least  remaining  uneasi- 
ness from  the  humbling  circumstances,  but,  on  the 
contrary,  they  will  have  a  glorious  and  desirable 
effect.  I  make  no  question  but  the  saints  will 
have  the  remembrance  of  the  humbling  circum- 
stances they  were  under  here  below.  Did  the 
rich  man  in  hell  remember  his  having  five  breth- 
ren on  the  earth,  how  sumptuously  he  fared,  how 
Lazarus  sat  at  his  gate  ;  and  can  we  doubt  but  the 
saints  will  remember  perfectly  their  heavy  trials  ! 
Rev.  vi.  10.  But  then  they  will  remember  them  as 
waters  that  fail ;  as  the  man  recovered  to  health 
remembers  his  tossings  on  the  sick  bed ;  and  that 
is  a  way  of  remembering  that  sweetens  the  pre- 
sent state  of  health  beyond  what  otherwise  it 
would  be.  Certainly  the  shore  of  the  Red  Sea 
was  the  place  that,  of  all  places,  was  the  fittest  to 
help  the  Israelites  to  sing  in  the  highest  key.  And 
the  humbling  circumstances  of  saints  on  the  earth 
will  be  of  the  same  use  to  them  in  heaven,  Rev. 
XV.  3. 

2dly.  A  word  to  the  due  time  of  this  lifting  up. 
— There  is  a  particular,  definite  time  for  it  in  every 
saint's  case,  which  is  the  due  time,  but  it  is  hid 
from  us.     We  can  only  say  in  general. 

1.  Then  is  the  due  time  for  it,  when  our  work 
we  have  to  do  in  this  world  is  over.     God  has  ap 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  OF  THE  WHOLE.  175 

pointed  to  every  one  his  task,  fight,  trial,  and 
work ;  and,  till  that  is  done,  we  are  in  a  sort  im- 
mortal, John  ix.  4,  and  xi.  9.     That  work  is, 

Doing  work ;  work  set  to  us,  by  the  great  Mas- 
ter, to  be  done  for  the  honour  of  God  and  the  good 
of  our  fellow-creatures,  Eccl.  ix.  10.  We  must 
be  content  to  be  doing  on,  even  in  our  humbling 
circumstances  till  that  be  done  out.  It  is  not  the 
due  time  for  that  lifting  up,  till  we  are  at  the  end 
of  that  work  and  so  have  served  our  generation. 
And  it  is, 

Suffering  work.  There  is  a  certain  portion  of 
suffering  that  is  allotted  for  the  mystical  body  ;  the 
head  has  divided  to  the  several  members  their  pro- 
portions thereof;  and  it  is  not  the  due  time  for  that 
lifting  up,  till  we  have  exhausted  the  share  thereof 
allotted  to  us.  Paul  looked  on  his  life  as  a  going 
on  in  that,  Col.  i.  24. 

2.  When  that  lifting  up  comes,  we  shall  see  it 
is  come  exactly  in  the  due  time  ;  that  it  was  well 
it  was  neither  sooner  or  later ;  for  though  heaven 
is  always  better  than  earth  and  that  it  would  be 
better  for  us,  absolutely  speaking,  to  be  in  heaven 
than  on  earth,  yet  certainly  there  is  a  time  where- 
in it  is  better,  for  the  honour  of  God,  and  his  ser- 
vice, that  we  be  on  the  earth  than  in  heaven,  Phil, 
i.  24.  "  Nevertheless,  to  abide  in  the  tlesh  is  more 
needful  for  you."  And  it  will  be  no  grief  of  heart 
to  them  when  there,  that  they  were  so  long  in  their 
humbling  circumstances,  and  were  not  brought 
sooner. 

Use  1.  Let  not  then  the  humble  cast  away  their 


176  THE  IMPROVEMENT  OF  THE  WHOLE. 

confidence,  whatever  their  humbling  circumstances 
be  ;  let  them  assure  themselves  there  will  come  a 
lifting  up  to  them  at  length  ;  if  not  here,  yet  to  be 
sure  hereafter.  .Let  them  keep  this  in  their  view, 
and  comfort  themselves  with  it,  for  God  has  said 
it,  Psal.  ix.  18.  "  The  needy  shall  not  always  be 
forgotten."  If  the  night  were  ever  so  long,  the 
morninff  will  come  at  length. 

2.  Let  patience  have  her  perfect  work.  The 
husbandman  waits  for  the  return  of  his  seed,  the 
merchant  for  the  return  of  his  ships,  the  store- 
master  for  what  he  calls  year-time,  when  he  draws 
in  the  produce  of  his  flocks.  All  these  have  long 
patience,  and  why  should  not  the  Christian  too 
have  patience,  and  patiently  wait  for  the  time  ap- 
pointed for  his  lifting  up  1 

Ye  have  heard  much  of  the  Crook  in  the  Lot ; 
the  excellency  of  humbleness  of  spirit  in  a  low  lot, 
beyond  pride  of  spirit,  though  joined  with  a  high 
one  : — Ye  have  been  called  to  humble  yourselves 
in  your  humbling  circumstances,  and  have  been" 
assured  in  that  case  of  a  lifting  up.  To  conclude  : 
we  may  assure  ourselves,  God  will  at  length  break 
in  pieces  the  proud,  be  they  ever  so  high ;  and  he 
will  triumphantly  lift  up  the  humble,  be  they  ever 
so  low. 


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